Fanfare: Dreams of Hope hosts Big Wig Ball
It was hard to tell which aspect of the Big Wig Ball would prove more entertaining: the event itself or watching the heads turn as an amazingly coiffed crowd was seen making their way down Smallman Street.
“It took me less time to make than I thought it would,” said emcee Joseph Hall of the 40 plastic bags he had layered into flowing locks. “But I was up until the morning hour.”
Hosted by Dreams of Hope, whose mission embraces the power of the arts to support the LGBTQA+ community, guests arrived at the Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters in the Strip District on May 20 having sufficiently raided their friends' wardrobes in search of the perfect hair do.
“It came from a collection owned by a drag queen,” said Rebecca King, donning a hot pink beehive.
While ThaCrowBats took center stage with an acrobatic performance that defied the notion of what the human body is capable of, program director Adil Mansoor was fielding requests to get a photo of his shimmering gold glitter beard while also divulging how he got it to stay in place.
“I literally just took an Elmer's glue stick and ran it along my face,” he laughed. “A wig would have driven me crazy.”
By 10 p.m., Ratchet Ivy League, Theodore Rexx and “Soy Sos” Pearl had taken over for the Dance Party but rumor had it that an after-party at Hot Mass would keep the die-hards going until dawn.
On the list: executive director Seth Rosenberg, Dreams of Hope founder Susan Haugh, who was honored with the Champion Award, committee members Amanda Anderson, Casandra Armour Capri, Crystal Wilson, Debi Sciranka, Sarah Tafel, Katie Trupiano, Rene Cuenca, Randi Starr, Sarah Itzkoff. Also, Victoria Bradley-Morris, Eric D'Ambrogi, Henry and Carla Biaggi.
