In Which Slingbacks and Syrup Gets Noticed, Russell Dreher Keeps Moving, and Rip-and-Read uses the Royal We a Lot

It was never part of our plan at Rip and Read to be interviewed for a documentary film...and it was certainly never part of our wildest dreams that we would get our first IMDB Movie credit for playing ourselves in a documentary about Vermont Drag Queens...but sometimes, that is the way fame finds us- unprepared and in the tub.

Actually, the really sad part is that We've not even had a chance to see the movie yet.

We have, however, watched friend Russell Dreher sweat bullets over it's creation and marketing these past few years, we've dropped a nugget or two of useless publicity advice when asked, and we've been amazed at the Herculean efforts of friend Russell to get his film shot, produced, and now marketed. It's been great.

Slingbacks and Syrup tells the story of Vermont's own Drag Troupe "The House of LeMay" and illustrates the impact these unlikely heroes (or, is that heroines?) have had on their community. As a member of said community who would do just as well as any other, it was our privilege to be interviewed for the film.

Just this fall, Slingbacks and Syrup had a very successful premier at the Burlington Film Festival, where it was one of the best attended entries.

Now, Seven Days, Vermont's arts and news weekly newspaper, has run a feature on one of the stars, Bob Bolyard...but Russell gets a great plug in the article as well:

The “LeMay half” of Bolyard’s alliance with Hayes, McLaughlin and the others recently got a new shot of publicity. Slingbacks and Syrup, a documentary on the history of the LeMay phenomenon, premiered at October’s Vermont International Film Festival. For director Russell Dreher, who commuted from New York to film LeMay events and conduct interviews, it was a hefty labor of love. Dreher financed the film himself, and during the editing process, he lost his job and was diagnosed with cancer.

Dreher eventually emerged with a clean bill of health and a finished film, which is currently for sale on the LeMays’ website. He says other festivals have shown interest, including one in Canada that he prefers not to name yet.

Way to go, Russell (and hats off to Bob, Mike and the House of LeMay too). We at Rip and Read are proud of you.

Oh, yeah, I can hear you asking now- where can I buy a copy of this? Well, right here: of course! https://www.createspace.com/254167