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October 19, 2017 Welcome to the 1st annual Queen of Sin City Pageant and thank you for joining us in the beautiful Texas Station Casino and Hotel. As we kick off our inaugural pageant we must recognize our fabulous audience, your attendance and support means so much to us and our amazing contestants that proudly represent various states from across the nation. I have been a part of the pageant circuit for over 15 years as a makeup artist, hairstylist, backstage dresser, judge, as well as a contestant and for 5 years starting a pageant has been a vision of mine. I knew in my heart what it would take for it to become a success but I could not do it alone, last year Calvin Marquez filled that missing piece and the Queen of Sin City Pageant was born. Together we will continue to work hard and grow this pageant system. Las Vegas is the capital of entertainment and what better place to have such a fabulous event that celebrates Showgirl Glamour, Beauty, Talent and Grace. This pageant will help bring us all together and show the PRIDE we have for our community. Thank you to all of our wonderful sponsors, pageant committee, friends, family, and volunteers. Your time and efforts to make this night successful is greatly appreciated. Enjoy the Show, Selena Nagaoka-Finnell Queen of Sin City, Co-Producer
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Aloha, Welcome to our Inaugural 2017 Queen of Sin City Pageant. This has been a dream come true for many of us who wish to elevate the female illusion pageant system in Las Vegas. Here is Sin City we’ve seen lots of pageants come and go. Many undeliverable promises to title winners made by promoters with huge dreams and very little pockets. Tonight, we will be giving out $3500.00 in cash and over $7000.00 in prizes to our winners. We’re not playing, we want the ladies to be rewarded for their hard work and tireless efforts, tonight we are here to put on a show for you. We proudly present to you a pageant with eight contestants from 4 states, this is a great turnout for the first year. I promise you’ll be entertained tonight, fabulous showgirls costume walking the runway, stunning gowns with sparkles from head to toe, fierce makeup and hair. My favorite the talent competition, you never know what to expect. Thank you to our host, Texas Station, what a great group of people to work with. We love this venue and can’t wait to be back in 2018. To all our sponsors, thank you for all your generous contributions. Presenting sponsor CRUSH, Malcolm thank you for letting us live the dream, you see and believe the vision, this would have not been possible without you. To the board of Directions from the Southern Nevada Association of Pride- thank you for you love and support. You always support my ideas, allowing me to step out of my box and do great things for our wonderful community, I really appreciate that. thank you. Last but certainly not lease Selena and Calvi, thank you for sharing this crazy journey with me. I’m very proud of both of you, many long hours of meetings, thousands of emails and of course eating all over the valley, here we are kids, I love you both, Thank you! Please enjoy tonight and cheer on your favorite girl. Ladies good luck, have fun and be safe. Mahalo, Ernie “Pineapple” Yuen Executive Director Southern Nevada Association of PRIDE, Inc.
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MEET THE CONTESTANTS
BIONKA SIMONE San Francisco, California
CHEVELLE BROOKS Orlando, Florida
QUEEN OF SIN CITY 2017
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MEET THE CONTESTANTS
DESREE D ST. JAMES Las Vegas, Nevada
DULCEY TABATHA FERRAH Las Vegas, Nevada
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ELEKTRA DEL RIO Las Vegas, Nevada
LUPITA AMPARO Hollywood, California
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MEET THE CONTESTANTS
MELISSA PRIME Los Angeles, California
VANITY ST. JAMES Tucson, Arizona
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MEET OUR EMCEE
Brandon Michael Originally from Honolulu, Brandon Michael lived in Las Vegas for 15 years and was a staple in the gay nightlife scene, having worked in many night clubs and bars. His created persona, Diva Delafuentes was also a huge part of the female impersonator lifestyle from Hawaii to Nevada, with performances in cast shows, pageants and the like. He is a former board member of the Southern Nevada Association of PRIDE, Inc., as well as Miss Las Vegas Gay Pride 2010. He has an extensive background in the customer service and travel industry fields and is currently a licensed cosmetologist, having graduated from the Aveda Institute of Las Vegas in 2013. He currently resides in Austin, Texas with his partner.
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MEET OUR EMCEE
Jennifer Warner With a career in the art of female impersonation spanning over three decades, Jennifer Warner is no stranger to the stage. She travels the country as a professional showgirl performing at large events and entertained crowds into the thousands. As a former Miss United States Icon she toured the nation and inspired and mentored many up and coming entertainers hope as they worked to achieve their dreams of also become a pageant titleholder. Jennifer is also an activist for the LGBTQ community and has sat on numerous judging panels for various pageant systems. Although Virginia Beach, Virginia is where she calls home Jennifer is happy to be back in Las Vegas as a co-emcee tonight and to also help get the party started for Las Vegas Gay PRIDE weekend where she has been a staple headliner for the past few years! Happy PRIDE, everyone!
T H E P E R F E C T C I T Y TO G E T A L L G L A M M E D U P A N D S H OW
E V E RYO N E W H AT YO U ’ R E M A D E O F . We’re proud to welcome all the participants of the 2017 Queen of Sin City Pageant. We can’t think of a more fabulous venue than Las Vegas. And we know a thing or two about being fabulous.
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Pageant Schedule Welcome Jennifer Warner and Brandon Michael Guest Performance Andrew Ryan, Miss Las Vegas PRIDE 2017 Creative Theme Costume Category: Showgirls of Las Vegas Introduction of Judges Evening Gown Category Guest Performances Kaina Jacobs, Miss Universal Showqueen 2001 ShaeShae LaReese, Miss United States 2017 Talent Category Guest Performances Sasha Colby, Miss Continental 2012 Jennifer Warner, Miss United States Icon 2012 Cocoa Chandelier, Miss Universal Showqueen 2008 Anye Gotti, Miss PFIA 2017 Announcement of Top 5 Question and Answer Category Guest Performance Jesus Nanci, Mr. Las Vegas PRIDE 2017 LaCherry, Miss Piranha Buscando mi Sueno 2016 Command Performance LaWanda Jackson, Miss Gay USofA Classic 2009 & Miss Gay USofA 2012 Announcement of Awards Crowning of Queen of Sin City 2017
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MEET OUR HEAD JUDGE
LaWanda Jackson LaWanda Jackson has been performing for 35 years and has traveled the world and performed all across the United States and in places such as Tokyo, Brazil, Austria, and Aruba. LaWanda’s titles include former Miss Texas, Miss Gay USofA, and Miss Gay USofA Classic. She is also an actress and has appeared in movies and television, most notably alongside Sandra Bullock in Miss Congeniality II. LaWanda is a part of the Gay USofA Newcomer System Dream Team and is highly sought out for interview coaching and grooming by many pageant contestants. Far from retiring from the show life, she continues to tour as part of the Divas Road Show out of Las Vegas. LaWanda is a stroke survivor for the last 2 ½ years and she has become an icon and a legend in the business of female impersonation.
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MEET OUR JUDGES Jim McMichael is the Specialty Markets Manager for the Las Vegas Convention & Visitor Authority (LVCVA), handling the LGBT market, international meeting, incentives, conferences and exhibition groups from Brazil and Mexico as well as cultural tourism programming. Prior to joining the LVCVA, he spent 18 years in the shopping center industry with The Rouse Company and General Growth Properties in various marketing positions in South Florida and Las Vegas, and most recently as the Senior Marketing Manager at Fashion Show Mall. Jim also spent several years in the travel industry holding positions at Windstar Cruises, Holland America Line and Costa Cruises. His tourism background provides a unique foundation to help develop creative ways to market a destination, attraction or shopping center to reach key target markets. Kara Young-Ross was born, raised, and educated in the art of entertainment in Dallas, Texas. She received her BFA at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. Kara has graced stages across the United States, and in Europe, Asia, and South America. After relocating to Las Vegas, she began performing in EFX at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. Putting down her dancing shoes and picking up her hair and makeup brushes, Kara has worked on many of Broadway’s touring musicals such as Phantom of the Opera, Rock of Ages, Pricilla Queen of Desert, Wizard of Oz, Beauty and the Beast, Flashdance, Kinky Boots and many more. Currently, Kara is working with Cirque du Soleil at Michael Jackson One in the Mandalay Bay. She has competed and judged pageants on a local, state, regional and national level and holds many pageant titles such as Miss Dallas, Miss New Hope, Miss Pennsylvania, Miss Highland Park, Miss LeFemme Magnifique, Miss Las Vegas, Miss Island Goddess, Miss Sin City USofA, Miss Rocky Mountain USofA, and Miss Gay USofA.
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MEET OUR JUDGES Known as ‘The Chocolate Grape’, Cassandra Brown is one of the country’s most notable wine experts. She is a Certified Sommelier, Wine Educator, Professional Wine Judge and holds several other credentials in the wine and beverage industry. In her earlier years, she was a competitive baton twirler, pageant contestant and dance performer. In her home state of Georgia, she is a former Miss Black Dodge County, Miss Sugar Creek and a runner-up to Miss Black University of Georgia. Las Vegas audiences best know her best as the Mistress of Sensuality, the emcee of Cirque du Soleil’s Zumanity. EDIE has performed over the role over 4,500 times for over 5 million people since she assumed the role 9 and a half years ago. Before that, EDIE was a professional ballet dancer for eleven years with 5 companies. She was also a fixture on the New York drag scene and on the cabaret circuit across the country. In 2006 her Broadway dream came true when she was cast opposite Cyndi Lauper and Alan Cumming in the Tony- nominated revival of The ThreePenney Opera at Studio 54. Other notable credits include the MTV VMAs, The Rosie O’Donnell Show, and Sex and the City. Edie is also a passionate advocate for local and national charities having performed and hosted several charity shows and fundraisers in New York City including Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, and here in Vegas, including Las Vegas PRIDE, and Golden Rainbow where she has hosted “Ribbon of Life” seven times.
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MEET OUR JUDGES Ernie “Pineapple” Yuen is the Executive Director of Southern Nevada Association of Pride, Inc. and a board member since 2003; he is the longest standing board member with 14 years of service. Ernie first moved to Las Vegas from Hawaii to do design concepts for the Conservatory at the Bellagio. Ernie’s creative talents pushed him into costumes design and now his client list has grown to include RuPaul’s Drag race stars and other professional female impersonators. No stager to pageants, Ernie has co-produced the Miss USofA Las Vegas and Miss USofA Las Vegas at Large a 4-year venture producing 2 National Title holders. Throughout the years, Ernie has produce over 20 pageants and is currently the Royalty Coordinator for Las Vegas Pride. You’ll soon find Ernie at Hamburger Mary’s Las Vegas where he is returning as the General Manager when they open in November of 2017. April Reign is originally from Ohio but has lived in Las Vegas for the last 14 years. He has traveled throughout the United States capturing over 40 State, Regional and Bar titles. He is a cosmetics business manager at Nordstrom with numerous celebrities, politicians and TV personalities as dedicated clients. As a young child he enjoyed playing “Beauty Pageant”. One evening his mother walked into the living room and saw her 6-year-old son standing there with a blue sheet wrapped around him, red marker on his lips and a crystal bowl on his head. Mommy you said I can be anything I want to be…. I’m Miss USA! Fast forward to an October evening in Indianapolis, Indiana. beating out 110 other contestants throughout the nation. April Reign was crowned Miss Gay USofA 2010 while standing on stage in her blue evening gown, proving that childhood dreams really do come true.
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TOP PRIZES Winner - Queen of Sin City 2017 $2,500 Cash Award Official Queen of Sin City Sash Queen of Sin City Crown, embellished by Tiffany Bonet Designs Custom Queen of Sin City Jewelry Set, created by Tiffany Bonet Designs Custom Queen of Sin City Water Flask, engraved by Hawaiian Accessories Floral Bouquet 2 Nights Hotel Accommodations at the Flamingo Hotel (Pride Weekend 2017) 2 Night Hotel Accommodations for Queen of Sin City 2018 (Hotel TBD) Fierce Supply of Make Up and Brushes provided by Cozzette $1000 worth of Skin Care by Giorgio Armani $250 Gift Card from Sexy Beautiful Lashes Chantecaille Perfume 2 Tickets to Frank Marino’s Divas 2 Tickets to Australia’s Thunder From Down Under 1st Runner Up – Queen of Sin City 2017 $1,000 Cash Prize Floral Bouquet Custom Queen of Sin City Water Flask, engraved by Hawaiian Accessories Entrance Fee Waived for Queen of Sin City 2018 $100 Gift Card from Sexy Beautiful Lashes Morphe Pallette 2 Tickets to Frank Marino’s Divas 2 Tickets to Human Nature: Jukebox 2nd Runner Up – Queen of Sin City 2017 $250 Cash Prize Floral Bouquet Custom Queen of Sin City Water Flask, engraved by Hawaiian Accessories $50 Gift Card from Sexy Beautiful Lashes Morphe Pallette 2 Tickets to Frank Marino’s Divas 2 Tickets to Australian Bee Gee’s Show
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CATEGORY PRIZES Judge’s Interview 2 Night Stay in a Beautiful Spa Suite at New York – New York Hotel & Casino Creative Theme Presentation Showgirls of Las Vegas Helicopter Tour for 2 to the Grand Canyon, Courtesy of the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority Evening Gown 4 Tickets to Zumanity, The Sensual Side of Cirque du Soleil Talent $300 Worth of Custom Wig Design and Styling, Provided by Snatched by Ashlei Iman
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MEET THE PERFORMERS
ANDREW RYAN Miss Las Vegas PRIDE 2017
SASHA COLBY Miss Continental 2012
JENNIFER WARNER Miss United States Icon 2012
SHAESHAE LAREESE Miss United States 2017
KAINA JACOBS Miss Universal Showqueen 2001
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MEET THE PERFORMERS
ANYE GOTTI Miss PIFA 2017
LACHERRY Miss Piranha Buscando mi Sueno 2016
COCOA CHANDELIER Miss Universal Showqueen 2008
LAWANDA JACKSON Miss Gay USofA 2012
JESUS NANCI Mr. Las Vegas PRIDE 2017
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SPONSORS PRESENTING SPONSORS
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Diamond Sponsors A2M Contractors Lili’s Bar & Grill Named Sponsors New York New York Hotel Zumanity Snatched by Ashlei Iman Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority MGM Resorts International Flowers by Adrian Diaz ID Glide Chantecaille Giorgio Armani Rita Hazan SPI Entertainment Smiths The Cupcakery Cinnabon Chipotle
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STAFF & VOLUNTEERS It takes many hands to put on an event and if it weren’t for the loving hearts and helpful hands of the individuals below the Queen of Sin City Pageant would not exist. Thank you!!! Promoters: Selena Nagaoka-Finnell and Calvin “Calvi” Marquez Jr. Producers: Selena Nagaoka-Finnell, Calvin “Calvi” Marquez Jr., and Southern Nevada Association of PRIDE, Inc. Chairman: Ernie “Pineapple” Yuen Head Judge: LaWanda Jackson Judges: April Reign, Cassandra Michelle Brown, Christopher Kenney “Edie”, Ernie “Pineapple” Yuen, Jim McMichael, and Kara Young-Ross Emcees: Brandon Michael and Jennifer Warner Sound: FX by 702, Lucas Rangel Graphics: Jake Naylor and Chuck Spady Box Office: Jorge Garcia-Solorio, Jayme Gamez, Rhiannon Gamez, and Isabelle Gamez Security: Jaisha Philpot, Javi Rendorio, Jeff Renaud, Jonathan RendorioRenaud, Javien Rendorio-Renaud, Raelyn Nagaoka, Nick Nagaoka, Craig Oliveria, Bri Michelle, Raena Tanner, Phiravy Sun, Jasmine Cartwright, Amber Yap, and Tiara Holbron. Score Tabulation: James Healey and Bobby Napierala Back Stage: Calvin “Calvi” Marquez Jr, Angel Kaliko, and Jastin “Kona” Akaka Dressing Rooms: Selena Nagaoka-Finnell, Asher Roberts, and Neesha Carreira Judge’s Runner: Kawika Olivera Guest Performers: Andrew Ryan, Anye Gotti, Cocoa Chandelier, Jennifer Warner, Jesus Nanci, Kaina Jacobs, LaCherry, LaWanda Jackson, Sasha Colby, and ShaeShae LaReese Spanish Translator: Armando Zelkin Monroy (LaCherry) Photographer: Barbara Meeker Additional Thank You’s: Malcolm Ahlo, Patricia Bova Pino, Aleana Del Rosario, Rishawn Saint Clair, Bob Drennen, Ricardo Gudino, Michael Gasca, Kenny Fragas, and Dawn Christensen
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