Sybil's Diva Fest aims for a tasteful format

The Queen of Bermuda Sybil Barrington hopes to bring a touch of class to his annual impersonators’ show in a bid to please the churches.

The churches have, in the past, tended to frown upon the shows that are ­performed by a host of drag queens impersonating female celebrities. In 2008, local singer Larrita Adderley pulled out of performing at Sybil’s annual drag show as her church disapproved. Sybil, aka Mark Anderson, was furious at the time and threatened to turn up at St. David’s Glory Temple New Testament Church in full drag every Sunday.

While Sybil’s evening of entertainment, which takes place on October 23 at City Hall, will still include the drag element, Sybil has chosen three-time Grammy Award-nominated and Tony Award-winning entertainer Melba Moore to headline the show which has a “new format with added taste”.

“I know Melba personally — she is one of my friends,” said Sybil.

“I’m making it more accessible while still raising awareness for the gay and lesbian community here in Bermuda.

“Most of the celebrities have performed for the gay community. Melba just ­performed for Atlanta’s Gay Pride on Labour Day weekend. Now she is coming here to perform for us! It’s about time I introduced this to Bermuda since the churches don’t want their lovely ladies singing in my show.”

Formerly billed as Sybil’s Dynamic International Female Impersonators, the show, now in its eighth year, will be known as the Queen of Bermuda’s Diva Fest.

There will be a host of six performers on the night, four out of Canada and two out of the U.S. They include Phyllis Hyman look-alike Jade Elektra. In 2001 there was a beauty contest in Bermuda at the Clayhouse Inn called The Not Necessarily Miss Bermuda Beauty Pageant. It was the last of the events and Elektra is the current Not Necessarily Miss Bermuda title-holder. She was also in Sybil’s original group The Illusions which used to play all over Harlem.

Other female impersonators to perform on the night are Yuri, Nikki Chin, Sofonda Cox, Chris Edwards (Whitney Houston look-alike) and Tyra Colbaire.

There will also be some home grown talent — Chrissy Dior, Sheila Showers and John Flood. Sybil said he would wait for Larrita Adderley to contact him about the possibility of her performing in the future.

Sybil will be hosting the night and will this year pay tribute to the queen of Caribbean fashion, Holly Hornburg, owner of Calypso stores in Bermuda, the U.S. and the Caribbean.

“This year I’m paying tribute as my national hero — Ms Holly Hornburg. She is a woman who resides here in Bermuda and she set the trend for fashion in this country.”

Sybil will open the show with the song Aquarius. He will wear several different outfits but insists he doesn’t have a clue what they are and will not until his stylist arrives on the island.

Part proceeds from The Queen of Bermuda’s Diva Fest will go towards the Centre Against Abuse.