Rose Quartz uses the force for the Star Wars edition of her popular trivia nights. Photo: Chris Roe.
There’s a Hoth-like vibe on the streets of Wagga on a chilly Saturday night – but inside The Curious Rabbit, it’s as warm as a Tauntaun’s belly.
Resplendent in an off-the-shoulder, laser beam printed gown and more glitter than would otherwise be appropriate, Wagga’s Queen of Drag, Rose Quartz, keeps a rowdy crowd of movie fans entertained through four rounds of Star Wars trivia.
Questions like “how many engines does an X-Wing have?” and “which character in the Empire Strikes Back wore a costume recycled from Dr Who?” sort out the Jedi from the Nerf-herders.
“I’m a huge nerd,” Rose says with a laugh.
“We’ve had Star Wars, Kath and Kim, Harry Potter and I think Rocky Horror at one point as well.”
Along with Star Wars-themed prizes, wookie impressions and saucy banter, Rose delivers a flamboyant rendition of Bette Midler’s Otto Titzling before the night ends with a tie-breaker (not Tie Fighter) and a chance to get a selfie with the Queen.
Rose embraces her inner nerd with regular pop-culture themed trivia nights. Photo: The Curious Rabbit.
“We do niche sort of areas where there are enough people interested that want to come along and put all that trivia they know about things to good use,” she says.
Rose’s monthly trivia nights have become a fixture at The Curious Rabbit over the past year and a half.
She also hosts watch parties for RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under and regular high teas at the popular cafe.
Rose’s alter ego, Dwayne Sibraa says the Diva was brought to life by accident in 2008.
“I was invited to a friend’s 18th birthday party,” Dwayne explains.
“It was drag queen theme so I went as Big Mouth Mother Nature. It was a mixture of Motormouth Maybelle from the Chicago film and Mother Nature.
“Everyone just kept telling me all night how pretty I was and how funny I was and it was like I was a different person.”
Dwayne says an entirely new persona had been born.
“She’s a different entity of her own. Once you become that character, you also become everything about them from the makeup to the mannerisms and clothes – it all merges in together,” he says.
“She is both the most exciting thing and the scariest thing I do with my life.”
A Gamilaroi man, Dwayne put Rose under the spotlight at the Miss First Nations national event in Melbourne in 2019 where she won Best and Fairest.
He says there has been great support and acceptance for the character in the local Indigenous community.
“Being a First Nations drag queen is no issue whatsoever. The elders have had shows put on specifically for them up at Romanos [Hotel] and they’re always so supportive,” he says.
“We also work very closely with the Canberra Institute of Art that comes over for its Indigenous leadership program. They hire me roughly every three months to do a big show for their little leadership group.”
In terms of acceptance of Queer culture in Wagga more broadly, Dwayne says it’s been a long slow fight for recognition but events like the annual Mardi Gras parade have been a big step forward.
“It’s definitely made us move in a better direction,” he says.
“We’re finally getting towards being accepting of the LGBTQIA+ community in the country.”
Rose and The Curious Rabbit owner Vicky Burkinshaw collaborate regularly on events. Photo: Rose Quartz.
In 2022 Wagga Mardi Gras hosted its first drag competition.
“We called it the Wollundry Drag Superstar and had five first time Drag Kings and Queens performing and it was an absolutely fantastic, amazing time!” Dwayne says.
Looking ahead Dwayne and Rose are planning on bigger and more fabulous things in 2022.
“The Curious Rabbit will be taking over the Civic Theatre in July with Drag as well as live music performances,” he says.
“Then we’ll be moving into our Trivia and Bingo as well as Drag Race Down Under season two viewing parties. It’s a fantastic way to see those!”
To keep track of Rose’s adventures, you can follow her Instagram or facebook.
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