This year’s event has couples changing places in New Hope.
By: Carl Reader
NEW HOPE American Indians say one person cannot know another without putting on his smelly old moccasins and walking a mile in them.
Here, maybe one person can get to know another only by walking around in the other’s hair and makeup. In fact, switching identities might be one of the better ways for two people to get to know one another on a certain night in this river town.
That’s part of the idea behind the second annual Queen for a Day celebration to be held at 6 p.m. Sunday at the Eagle Fire Company.
"The thrust of this whole event is having couples reverse gender for entertainment," said Herb Millman, co-chairman of the outing. "We have seven prominent New Hope couples (participating)."
In other words, you wear my wig, and I’ll strut around bald. You slip into my dress, and I’ll zip up your knickers. You stumble around in my high heels, and I’ll kick around in your crummy old work boots.
Fun, yes. But also profitable.
Zipping up and making up in the quest for knowledge and big bucks for charity will be Fred and Louise Williamson, Frank and Patty Cosner Sr., Jim and Jane Faraco, Roger and Judy Butler, Phil and Dani Castragiovanni, Lynn Estrade and Dan Pel and Jordan Geltzer and Lisa Marie Ispario.
Last year, the inaugural of this event netted $16,000 for the New Hope Chamber of Commerce revitalization fund, according to Mr. Millman, and paired gay men with straight men. This year, after such a smashing success its first year, the event is expected to bring in more than $20,000, Mr. Millman estimated.
"That’s the minimum (that should come in), because everything is being donated," Mr. Millman said.
Early this week, only eight seats remained for sale at a cost of $45. All seats costing $55 and $65 have been sold out, Mr. Millman said.
The winner this year will be crowned by last year’s victor in blush, New Hope’s own titan of the D cup, Mayor Larry Keller. One lucky contestant can only hope to match Mr. Keller’s inspiring dance and musical rendition on-stage of a year ago, and his incredible presentation of self as, well, his own better half.
It’s not for lack of practice should anyone fall short.
"Each one of the contestants has been assigned a coach, who will teach them how to walk, move, everything," Mr. Millman said. "They’ve all been assigned makeup artists and hair artists. Sanburns of Hello, Gorgeous has prepared most of the wigs, and we have an entire makeup staff that will cover each one of the contestants."
Not only will locals strut their stuff on stage, they’ve also emptied their pockets to make the event possible and profitable.
"Each couple has been sponsored by a local business," Mr. Millman said. "The money from the sponsorship of $150 per couple will go to the purchase of the costumes that are needed, the gowns or dresses or wigs, etc."
The contestants, too, will help make the event a successful charitable outing. The tips they receive on-stage will be donated to each individual’s favorite charity, from the New Hope-Solebury Free Library to the Eagle Fire Company to the American Cancer Society.
"That’s another aspect of it," Mr. Millman said.
Judging the evening’s entertainment and deciding on the winners will be six other New Hope luminaries, including the mayor, and one TV star, Lynn Doyle of CN8’s "It’s Your Call," who will take up the challenge of determining who’s best in boxers and who’s prettiest in panty hose.
"This has been a very difficult event to put together," Mr. Millman said.
It hasn’t been the petulance of the divas involved that has made it so, but the complexity of the event and the fact Mr. Millman has been moving his business, Cockamamie’s, while rehearsals have been in progress.
Acting as co-chairpersons, and assisting Mr. Millman in the huge production, have been New Hope Councilwoman Geraldine Delevich and Michael Gardner, a.k.a. Miss Pumpkin.
So strap on an item of clothing you might not have considered wearing before. Sunday night, anything goes.