Today we’d like to introduce you to Dallas Perry.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My entire life I have worked in musical theatre. Since the age of ten I have been performing and I even earned a degree in Musical Theatre Performance from San Diego State University. Upon graduating I realized that at the core of my passion I am a performer and that Los Angeles is where I would explore every avenue I have always dreamed of exploring; my ‘pipe dreams’ if you will. Thus my pursuit of drag, modeling, dance, songwriting, and acting in film and television begins. Theatre performance is taking a backseat (for now) and I am suddenly the tiniest fish in the biggest pond. The pursuit of creative fulfillment and happiness is what I now crave. I want to make art from scratch and have something to call my own in every way, whereas in theatre I performed pre-curated material. Along with this pursuit goes my day job as an Offline Editor at Glossier on Melrose Place.
This job flexes another muscle I have a deep passion for: skincare, makeup, and helping others uncover the beauty they already obtain through this landmark-like store on one of the most famous streets of Los Angeles. I owe much of my overall optimistic demeanor to my job at Glossier, as it is the perfect place for someone like me to work and thrive in an environment with an unshakably uplifting team and clientele. So far I am doing well in the City of Angels, and with my occasional hosting gigs in drag at circuit parties, random extra-work and odd jobs on television, secret tunes I hum and strum on my guitar, and incredibly fulfilling position at Glossier LA, the pipe dreams grow closer and closer.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest struggle has been my move from San Diego. It may not be far, but it is the first time I have moved out of my parent’s house and have had to pay rent on my own. I do not live glamorously by any means and most of my stress is financially driven. (LA is expensive!). I share a room with my incredible roommate and best friend Lierin and we are each other’s biggest support system in the city. I have a handful of friends from college of whom I see regularly around town and we lift each other up in both spirits and opportunities when we can (thank you Audrey for the recommendation for Voyage Gems!)
Another struggle I have met is my quest to find a group of folks from the LGBTQIA+ community as my ride-or-die group of support for issues unique to the community and to create art with. As I am in the early stages of establishing myself as a drag artist I crave the friendship I admire in others at these parties I attend and hope to find my people soon. I struggle to put myself out there at times and make friends within my own community, I often feel like an outsider (as many do in the LGBTQIA+ community) and I hope to truly become a vital part of the pulse of this city with a support system that is unshakable.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
As a performer, I unashamedly put myself at the forefront of my creation. In drag, I use my birth name as opposed to a pseudonym and I as well do not have separate social media for my drag art and other avenues of creation. I hope to create a coexisting field of performance that includes all of my interests: drag, music, dance, acting, fashion, and beauty and not put one facet above another. I want to be known as the person who can combine all of my talents in one and create new and exciting art that exceeds category. This sounds very ambiguous and overzealous, I know. I have yet to figure out what this final product may look like, but I am excited for what I am creating and even if success and fame do not come my way, I wish to be satisfied with my work and be able to sleep at night knowing I took every chance I could take while staying true to my morals and vision.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I would say my fondest memories stem from my alone time with my mother while my sisters were at school and my father was at work (sorry Jesi, Mary, and Dad) This time was so precious because it was the only alone time I had with my mother’s undivided attention. Why I choose this is because I felt my most inhibition-free especially as a young gay boy who had yet to be shamed by the outside world. I would dress in fun clothing, do my makeup, perform for my mother (which is all documented on home videotapes) and play with no fear of being who I am. It didn’t take till now as an adult to reflect and see how important this development was for me as a child, and how school bullies and the outside world projected views and opinions of femininity and gayness on me and had blurred my vision until graduating high school and getting to where I am now as an out-of-the-closet young gay man living in Hollywood. What a time to be alive!
Contact Info:
- Address: 400 N Serrano Ave apt 211 90004 Los Angeles, California.
- Phone: (619) 905-9902
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @_dallasperry_
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dallas.c.perry
- Twitter: @_dallasperry_
Image Credit:
David Laffe @davidelaffe (Evita Photo)
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