Queen of the Week - Sally Ingus Wilder

Name: Sally Ingus Wilder

Age: 26

Location: Portland, OR

Single or taken? I'm a single Sally

What is your drag style like?  Being from the Midwest originally, there's definitely a bit of "Minnesota Nice" in my personality. When I perform I tend towards theatrical, choreographed numbers. I love props, magic and special effects! I'm more interested in performance and spectacle than straight up dancing, lip-synching, or pageantry.

How long does it take you to get ready in drag? Around and hour and a half, or 3 PBR tallboys.

Do you have a favorite number you perform? It's too soon to say. I'm working on a more serious piece involving projected home videos of me as a child when I used to secretly dress in drag and videotape myself, which I hope will be tragically hilarious and moving at the same time.

Where can we see you perform? I'm currently loving performing at Miss Thing each month here in Portland, hosted by the legendary Heklina of Trannyshack! I'm also really excited to be performing in the new alternative drag show Artemis is hosting beginning in May!

How did you first get into drag? I've always had an interest in performance, makeup and costume, but never had the right connections growing up in Minneapolis. It wasn't until moving to Portland that I found an encouraging network of friends and professionals. It's here that I met my drag mother Allison May, who has a rich background in theater and loves drag queens more than anything on earth. She really helped me make the leap, and I'm oh so glad she did!

Who have been your biggest inspirations? Traditional drag really does nothing for me. I love anything androgynous, experimental, and spectacular. I'm currently a huge fan of Suppositori Spelling for the rawness of her performances. I love the look of Minneapolis's Kysa Bong. Sissyboy is super inspiring — I love a good gender fuck! I also have a huge crush on Portland performance artist/Sissyboy Kaj-anne Pepper.

What would be your three biggest tips for a new drag queen? Well being a new drag queen myself, that's a tough one, so here's advice I've received that's been really helpful:

1. BE HUMBLE. Your drag persona is one thing, but you personally must always remain humble (thanks Fannie May Darling!)

2. Drag queens are allowed to be filthy as fuck, but do it with just a touch of class… sometimes.

3. Drag is addicting, no one can do it just once!

If you could perform anywhere in the world where would it be and why? I was raised in an evangelical home, and I performed in one of those Christian Hell Houses as a teenager — I played the role of a tortured soul in hell (ha!) and it was really homophobic and horrible. I'd like to go back in full drag, and reach out to all the poor young queer kids and tell them they're beautiful the way they are.

What is something that might surprise us all about you? In addition to my day job as a graphic designer and illustrator, I've been a professional live caricature artist for 8 years, and have drawn over 10,000 faces at all sorts of venues including Theme Parks, County Fairs, and San Francisco Pride. And you thought drag was trashy…

What makeup items could you not live without? Portland diva Poison Waters once said never to spend more than $2 on a pair of lashes, and its true. I'm a regular at the local Mid-K beauty supply store… they've got the goods for cheap! The people at Hollywood Lights here in Portland are really helpful with stage makeup as well.

Do you design any of your clothes, create any of your wigs, etc? My outfits are usually pieced together from thrift stores, things I've made, and borrowed items. My sewing machine is my best friend! I've just started learning to style my own wigs. It's amazing what you can do with a cheap wig, synthetic hair extensions, a can of Aqua Net and a blow dryer!

What has been your all time greatest moment in drag? Winning the March 2010 title in the Miss Thing talent search! I did a lyrically-altered version of "Big Spender", lip-synched to live vocals, swallowed a balloon, and there was a juggler on stage. Besides walking away with the title for that month, it was also my first time on stage in drag, so that would have to be the greatest moment of my young career.

What else should we know about you? Friend me on Facebook and find out!