Sunday, December 1, 2013

November/December 2013 "Christa's Column" & MGMA Board Newsletter



I hope that this newsletter finds everyone well.  I am so excited for the holidays to be approaching.  It is a time when my entire family gets together to reminisce about what was and what is to be.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving, I would like to tell you a few of the things that I am "Thankful" for (and yes, I know you’re not supposed to end a sentence with a preposition)!! A bit of English humor.

This has been such an incredible year for me and I am so grateful for all of it. The Good, the Bad and the incredibly indifferent!  I have gotten to meet and work with so many amazing people. And for that I am truly thankful!  I get to work with the most fabulous Board of Directors. I got to go to Miss America with a large contingency of Missouri Girls including the wonderful Adria Andrews who placed well in the Top 10. Jade Sinclair, Vicki Valentino,Trixie LaRue,Diva Coppafeel, Nadia M.Lewis,and Moltyn Decadance -  who was a Representative of California.

The convivial spirit that is around me when I am at a pageant is inedible. This Sisterhood, this Legacy, this FAMILY, is something that I am so proud and honored to be a part of. In short, I am THANKFUL for you and all of the wonderful experiences that you have given me thus far!! I would like to on a personal note thank you all for your thoughts and well wishes on the passing of my Uncle. He was an amazing man. He taught me how to love and respect life and people and every experience that comes your way - to learn and grow from everyone and everything around you and to help other people.  He once said, "You'll never know how to be a man if you don't see one" and he led by example. And as I can tell you, it takes a Hell of a man to raise another man's son.  So thank you Mr. Leonard.

Thanks and a huge shout out go to my Fairy Godfather, Daniel Flier who is always there with words of encouragement and a helping hand!  And to Emilio Olvera for always helping me be the best Miss Missouri that I can be.

This Board is so terrific to work for, Jade Sinclair, Atheena Voce', Sparkle Iman, Krista Versace, and the afore mentioned Vanessa Vincent and Lexus Chaney, that I want anyone who wants to be a part of this family to consider all the pageant opportunities coming your way soon.

Look out for each other, care a little more, judge a little less and SMILE. When you do these things watch all the blessings that will start to come your way. And Always be THANKFUL for what you have.

Here is a list of the upcoming  preliminaries coming to a city near you including a new one.  Miss River City, a new open prelim to be held on January 26, 2014. I will  have more information coming very soon. I will even send out a special memo about location and presentation soon. February 1, 2014 is the Miss Columbia pageant it is closed, but please come out and visit and support. For information on this pageant please contact  Jeff Thompson/Atheena Voce'. On February 2 is the Miss St.Louis pageant in St. Louis at Hamburger Mary's. For information on this contest, contact Jade Sinclair. And on February 23, Miss Spirit of St. Louis will be held in St.Louis and it too, will be held at Hamburger Mary's, if you have questions about this pageant contact Darin Slyman of Vital VOICE

As always if you have any questions or comments about a pageant or anything else, please feel free to contact me at ChristaCollinsMGMA2013@gmail.com

Miss Gay Missouri America 2013, 
Christa Collins

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

October/November 2013 - Christa's Column and MGMA Board Newsletters

CONGRATULATIONS to Jessica Jade our newly crowned MISS AMERICA!! Miss Gay America was held October 9-12 in St.Louis, Mo. It was an absolutely eye opening week. I am so grateful for the opportunity to grow and learn and interact with all of the contestants.  I must say that I also am so very  proud of all of our Missouri girls:  Adria Andrews and Jade Sinclair  (Both of which made the Top 10); Vicki Valentino, Trixie LaRue, Diva Coppafeel, Nadia M. Louis, and Moltyn Decadance (who stepped in with two weeks notice to be the Representative for California.) I got to meet many formers and legends of the system. I got to ask questions and gain knowledge from so many people including  contestants very knowledgeable of the system and the art form of female impersonation. Divas like Kofi, Chantel  RaShae, Truly Fabu, and several others.Thank you for sharing your gifts with me and the audience.

The Miss Gay America 2014 Top 5 Finalist (from left to right)- 4th alternate-Truly Fabu, Kofi-Miss Gay South, Miss Gay America 2014 Jessica Jade, 1st alternate-Blair Williams, 2nd alternate-Christa Collins

I had such an amazing time performing in all of the categories and I know that some day soon that my working knowledge of the administrative duties will make my dream of being Miss America, a reality. My placing Second Alternate my first year there gave me a taste of all of the possibilities that  lay before me and with proper preparation and planning what is completely in reach.

Thank you to all of my sponsors, family, and friends for all of their support, financially, and emotionally during this pageant season. And for all of the love and kind words given not only during this time but every single day of my life. Without you this dream of being Miss America wouldn't be possible.

The Board also deserves a huge round of applause for all of their time, patience and caring. Words of advice and the support that is within this family are not taken for granted and I do realize how blessed and lucky I am to have them in my life. and along this journey with me.

 To Sally Sparkles, Thank you for an amazing year of service and I look forward to some day being your sister!!
Heidi Banks - Miss Gay Kansas City

Missouri has also had a busy pageant season.  In September,a new Miss Kansas City was crowned. Congratulations to Miss Heidi Banks your new Miss Kansas City and the First Alternate is the talented and charming Miss Kyla Breeze. Also in October the Miss Gay Springfield pageant became an open pageant and crowned Miss Valari Knyte from Kansas City the new Miss Springfield and her lovely First Alternate is Miss Taylor Madison Monroe. CONGRATULATIONS !!!!!!! to all of you on your entry to Miss Missouri. I look forward to seeing what you are all preparing for April. I can't wait to see all of these talented ladies joining Miss Diva Coppafeel and Monique Heart, in St.Louis.
Valari Knyte - Miss Gay Springfield

 A special Thank you go out to Vince Edwards and Autumn Holliday, the promoters for Miss Gay Springfield America for making my visit there smooth and amazingly calm. Cheers to you!

We have two more preliminaries scheduled after the first of the year. Miss City of Columbia, which is a closed pageant, will take place on at SoCo Club on February 1, 2014. For more information contact Jeff Thompson (Atheena Voce') or myself  for more details regarding Miss Columbia. Also Miss Spirit of St.Louis  will be held in St.Louis on February 23, 2014 at Hamburger Mary's St. Louis. For any information regarding this pageant contact Colin Murphy of Vital VOICE or myself ChristaCollinsMGMA2013@gmail.com.

If you are looking to join this Fabulous Sisterhood filled with a it's rich legacy, grab your best gown, brush up on your interview skills and polish up your talents. One of these prelims may be your entrance for ticket to Miss Gay Missouri America 2013!!


Miss Gay Missouri America 2013,
Christa Collins 


  SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER MGMA BOARD NEWSLETTER



As I sit  and try to write  this  newsletter  I am filled  with so many emotions. When we  took over  Miss Gay Missouri America we  wanted  a great  contest  and  great  contestants. In the past,  we  have produced  award wining production numbers and received numerous promoter of the year awards. Indeed, MGMA is very proud of its past. Well  this  year,  both happened . We received  Best Commemorative Program and  Best Opening  Production   presented to us  by Sally Sparkles final night at Miss Gay America 2014.  What  an  honor  and thank you to everyone  who made both our program and opening number a reality  to receive the recognition they deserved. Hard  work pays  off! 

Sally told me on final night  after  we  received  the  award that once  she  saw all of the  formers  on stage and the  MGMA sisterhood that took place  she knew then it  would  be  hard  for another pageant to match that. Our beautiful program came from formers  selling  ads and  getting them in early so the book could be put together in a timely manner. It showed that time was taken this  year, and all of the participation in the  opening  and being together for the  common  goal of making MGMA the  best  paid  off.  So this  year lets  do it  again!

We could not be prouder of our two MGMA representatives making Top 10 at Miss Gay America 2014. First Alternate  Adria Andrews breezed into a  top 10 slot and  placed 6th. She was amazing and a joy to watch.  Miss Gay Missouri 2013  Christa Collins , soared into Top 10,  won best  all over  score in Solo Talent and secured  a placement of 2nd alternate  to  MGA. It was  a great  week  of  competition these two contestants represented  MGMA in stellar fashion. The MGMA Alumni is so proud of  both of  you. It was  a tough  contest  and you both showed  what the  Show  Me  State  had to offer.  You both  had  a strategy , a plan and  a formula and it  was  obvious,  and  paid  off big time. Congratulations  to Jessica  Jade  on her  win  she will indeed  be  a  great Miss Gay America and we will see  her in April  at MGMA.

I have  had the  great honor to be  at  all preliminaries to MGMA 2014 thus far  and  what  a great group  we  have  evolving  to compete. More  prelims  coming up and  I encourage  anyone  wanting to be  MGMA to get  a  package together  and  enter a prelim  and  bring it.

Miss Gay Missouri America was put back on the map at this year's national contest. Let's work to  keep  us  there!  Here  are  a list  of  upcoming prelims  that  have  dates  booked..... and  of course  any questions  you can find us  on Facebook or  our  website.



Don’t forget we have several preliminaries already scheduled:




Miss City-of-Columbia, Sat Feb 1stclosed preliminary          

Miss Spirit of StL, Feb 23rd—open preliminary

   
Daniel Flier/Vanessa Vincent, MGM1982

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

September/October 2013 - Christa's Column and MGMA Board Newsletters


I am so excited!!!! In two weeks I will be going to Miss Gay America 2014, to be held in St.Louis, Missouri at the Millennium Hotel, October 9-13. This is my first time going as a contestant. I have been a choreographer, back up dancer and a dresser, but now I get to be onstage by myself.  This incredible journey has been sweetened by the love and support of my family and the community around me. But also because  of the amazingly knowledgeable and supportive Board of Directors of Miss Gay Missouri. I feel completely honored and blessed to be representing this great state and its LGBT communities. It is an opportunity that I do not take lightly.
I am preparing with last minute dress fittings and rehearsing and making sure that all loose ends are tied up before I travel to St. Louis. I will do my absolute best to make all of you proud by giving 150% as only I know how to do. Before I leave, however, I would like to say THANK YOU!!  I say it in advance because  I could not have gotten this far without all of you. Good, bad, or indifferent, it is turning out to be an unforgettable year that  I will treasure. I look forward to a week of learning, entertaining and competing with all of the contestants. I can't wait to meet them all. I would also like to say Good Luck and Cheers to my sisters  Miss Adria Andrews, Jade Sinclair and Vicki Valentino.  I will let you all know how everything turns out in the next newsletter. Until then keep looking out for each other and lending a hand—it does come back around.
I hope all of you who are wanting to join the sisterhood of Miss Gay Missouri are on the lookout for preliminaries in your area or around the state. Here are upcoming dates of prelims. Miss Gay Kansas City is to be held in Kansas City September 27 and  28, it is an open prelim so come and join as I step down as the reigning MGKC. Contact Jeff Hickman (Lore'al) or Sam Vermillion (Valari Knyte) for information. Miss Gay Springfield will be held in Springfield Mo. on Sunday, October 20. It is an open prelim as well. Contact Vince for any details and questions you may have. Miss City of Columbia will be February 1, 2014 in Columbia Mo. As they would like someone from their community to represent them at MGM , this prelim will be a closed to contestants outside of the city of Columbia. Contact Jeff Thompson (Atheena Voce') for information. Miss Spirit of St.Louis is to be held in St.Louis at the famed Hamburger Mary's on Sunday, February 23, 2014 and it is an open prelim. Contact Colin Murphy of Vital VOICE with any questions.  As always, if you have any questions about any of the above  information please feel free to contact me at ChristaCollinsMGMA2013@gmail.com


Miss Gay Missouri America 2013,
Christa Collins 


  SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER MGMA BOARD NEWSLETTER



One of the things I remember being taught as a child is that true, sincere pride can only come from your work.  This means that for someone to feel proud of something it has to come from something that they have worked on, or put hard work towards.  This is a life lesson that I think we all must remember sometimes.



Being Miss Gay Missouri America 2004 is one of the things that I am most proud of in my life.  This is because I put work into winning that title.  This made me think about the MGMA sisterhood, and why this sisterhood stands apart from others.  This is a title that was and still is VERY important to each and every one of us that has been lucky enough to place that crown on our head.  This is not a title that one wins on a whim….this is the SUPREME title of our wonderful state.  The sisterhood is strong and unshakeable because we put countless hours of work and dedication into being a part of this legacy.



 I truly believe that things in life happen for a reason and when they are meant to happen.  I remember my soul being crushed as I watched my fabulous sisters before me get their name called as the next chosen crown holder.  I remember telling myself that I wasn’t going to give up… I went back home, (and after a few tears) I began my work.  I was told early in my competition career that to WIN Miss Gay Missouri, you had to BE Miss Gay Missouri.  I listened to that.  I went to each show packed and prepared as if I was MGMA, I studied and rehearsed make-up and hair techniques.  I worked, and saved my money (and ate a LOT of Ramen noodles) and bought the completion pieces I needed to hear my name called.  On that night, I realized it was my time.  I knew I was truly prepared and ready for this responsibility because I had done my WORK



Now is YOUR time, have you done your WORK? 



Lastly, the Miss Gay Missouri, America Alumni Committee would like to wish the best of luck to our representatives going to Miss Gay America.  We have excellent representation by Christa Collins and Adria Andrews and are all eager to see how their individual WORK unfolds on stage for all of us to see!  Knock ‘em dead ladies! 



Don’t forget we have several preliminaries already scheduled:



Miss Gay Kansas City, Fri and Sat.  Sept 27th and Sept 28th—open preliminary

Miss Gay Springfield, Sun. Oct 20thopen preliminary

Miss City-of-Columbia, Sat Feb 1stclosed preliminary          

Miss Spirit of StL, Feb 23rd—open preliminary

   
Jeff Thompson/Atheena Voce', MGM 2004

Monday, August 26, 2013

August/September 2013 - Christa's Column and MGMA Board Newsletters


I hope that this newsletter finds you all healthy and well. It has been a fairly quiet August as I prepare for Miss Gay America coming up Oct. 9-13 at the Millennium Hotel  in downtown St. Louis.  I am so excited and strangely nervous as I get ready for the pageant, but I  know that all of the hard work will pay off.

I’m also looking forward to meeting all of my other America sisters. A week of learning, watching, performing and competing will be good for me. I’m looking forward to seeing and sharing time with my Missouri sisters: Adria Andrews, Trixie LaRue, Vicki Valentino, and the newly crowned Miss Gay Kansas 2013 Miss. Jade Sinclair, Miss Gay Illinois 2013 Diva Coppafeel and First Alternate Nadia M. Louis. I feel very blessed to work in a state that has such a rich history of female impersonation: Sandy Kay, Brenda Leigh, Melinda Ryder, Vanessa Vincent (and the famous Vincent Sisters) and many others who don't perform or are no longer with us. 

The History of the Miss Gay Missouri America pageant (being one of the oldest prelims in the system) is just incredible. I know that as I go on to represent Missouri at America, that I stand on the shoulders of all of these fabulous people and entertainers who came before me.  The Board of Directors for which I work is just amazing and so supportive. I am a very lucky and blessed man. I hope that I will do justice to all of the of the people who support me.

  I know I have said this before, but I want all of the people who feel like they want to be a part of this amazing community to contact me. I want everyone to have the feeling of legacy, sisterhood and support that I feel by being associated with this system.

There are two open pageants coming up: Miss Gay Kansas City to be held in Kansas City on September 27th and 28th (a Friday and Saturday night.) It will be held in three different venues: Missie B's, Sidekicks and Hamburger Mary's. For further information, contact Lore'al, Kansas City's Queen of Comedy on FaceBook. There is also Miss Gay Springfield to be held in Springfield Mo. On Sunday, October 20.  If you have any questions about any of these prelims and future prelims do not hesitate to contact me at ChristaCollinsMGMA2013@gmail.com.

As the Labor Day holiday approaches and summer winds down, please take care of yourselves and look out for each other. A community can only move forward if we are all doing so together—and if someone falls  behind, reach back and give them a hand.


Miss Gay Missouri America 2013,
Christa Collins 


  AUGUST/SEPTEMBER MGMA BOARD NEWSLETTER


Hello from the Board of Miss Gay Missouri.  While our annual pageant seems far in the distant future, it will surely arrive much faster than we imagine, and planning for the event is already underway.  In addition, our preliminary season is underway and Christa has already demonstrated her "excellence" as she administered over her first pageant, Miss Gay Metropolitan America.  Because we understand the pressure and hard work of both of administrating over and entertaining at a pageant, our Board makes every effort to be on hand to assist with any needs of the reigning MGM.  We want our Miss Gay Missouri to know that we are here to support you in every way.  We are very proud of Christa, and encourage all of you to join us in wishing her the best as she puts the finishing touches on her Miss Gay America 2014 competition package.

Speaking of Miss Gay America, we would like to remind you this year Missouri has again been selected as the location for the national contest.  Miss Gay America 2014 is being held October 9-13 at the Millennium Hotel in St. Louis, MO.  Approximately 52 contestants from across the country will join our two MGM representatives (Christa Collins and Adria Andrews) in the preliminary round of competition Wednesday, Oct 9 through Friday, Oct 11; Saturday, October 12 features the Miss Gay America Review show and presentation of preliminary awards; Final Night is held Sunday, October 12, where the top 10 will be compete a second time in Evening Gown and Talent, as well as On Stage Question.  Missouri has seen three of its entertainers find their way to the coveted title of Miss Gay America (Vicki Vincent, Charity Case and Victoria DePaula).  Please visit the Miss Gay America web site (www.missgayamerica.com) for additional information.

While ultimately the franchise of Miss Gay Missouri exists to select two representatives from our state to participate in the national contest, being Miss Gay Missouri is much more than a ticket to the national contest.  Being Miss Gay Missouri is a doorway to travel our state to entertain and work with a variety of individuals; it is the chance to learn and grow from not only those you meet but also the legacy of sisters who walked the path before; it is a chance to reach out to our youth and share your knowledge and passion – and hopefully inspire them to a path of success.  Unknown until experienced, it is also what you make it.  If you invest energy and time, you will be rewarded in the end.  If your reign touches others you will see them on your final night reaching back ... you on stage in your final moments, and those you have touched lined up in front of the stage ready to share the final moment with you.  

This experience is one worth not only the work required to prove to the five judges you have what it takes, but also worth the wait if the journey takes a little longer than you would like.

   
Michael Klataske/Jade Sinclair, MGM 2007