Dirty Dorothy can sing and act? Well, yes! Those who know Jessica Dressler only from her role as a drag show host at area bars like Missie B’s and Hamburger Mary’s will be delighted to see her show off her acting chops in a new theatrical production.
Dressler is one of three co-producers of the recently returned Late Night Theatre, which has a history of gender-bending satirical stage acts, along with Ron Megee and Chadwick Brooks. Next in Late Night’s line of plays will be The Dykes of Hazzard, on the new stage at Missie B’s.
Dressler co-wrote the show, which will run July 5-28, with Megee and is starring in four roles (Roscoe, Rita, Cooter and Enos).
“I actually got the coveted swing character,” she said. “Every play I’ve ever been in, that is my ultimate favorite, to be this wooden character.”
The production will have an all-female cast. Daisy Dyke will be played by Ashley Otis; Mike Dyke (based on the TV character Bo) by Stasha Case; Luke Dyke played by Katie Gilchrist; Aunt Jessie (based on Uncle Jessie) played by Annie Cherry; Boss Hogg played by Shannon Michalski; and Dressler playing her four roles.
Dressler says that even the infamous Dodge Charger on the TV show named the General Lee will make several appearances in one form or another.
Of her Late Night co-producers, Dressler said, “The three of us were brainstorming several different ideas and then all of a sudden I said ‘What about Dukes of Hazzard?’ and Ron said, ‘Dykes of Hazzard.’ So we were like, ‘Perfect!’”
The show is being produced by Late Night Theatre through Dressler’s company, One Trunk Productions. “So it’s basically One Trunk Productions d.b.a. Late Night Theatre,” Dressler said.
“For me, it’s been really exciting because I got to co-write it with Ron and basically work with my parody mentor,” she said.
She said the production, with one intermission, will be loaded with musical numbers and comedy.
“This show was so stupid, and the car chases were so stupid. It’s going to be really funny,” Dressler said. “I think it’s going to be exactly like people remember. The only thing you remember from the original show is General Lee, hick people almost losing their farm, and bad guys chasing them around and always ending up in the pond. And that’s what you’re going to get.”
Dressler is the entertainment director at Missie B’s, where the new show will be staged. Golden! Girls Gone Wild!!! was the first show from the latest incarnation of Late Night Theatre, and for those performances in March, the bar installed pocket doors to separate the stage from the rest of the establishment. Subsequent acts that have charged admission have also used the stage.
“One thing I want to brag on Missie B’s about is that they’re not charging people for that space,” Dressler said. “Just like Michael Burnes is always creating opportunities for people. … They offer this space for free and also give the DJ. So the only thing people would have to pay for if they want is a camera person or spotlight. You feel like you’re in a New York black box. They [Missie B’s> just request that they have an intermission for every show so people can spend money on drinks.”
Dressler has taken her Dirty Dorothy show on the road in Wichita, Omaha, Springfield and Columbia through One Trunk Productions. She brings an entourage of other entertainers from Kansas City.
She explained the name of her production company: “When I was at bar Natasha and did a cabaret show … it was called The One Trunk Show. It was a big trunk with all the props, and people came out of the trunk. And so when I inherited the entertainment at Missie B’s … I just thought of that name.”
With a former business partner, Tim Colley, she created a line of Dirty Dorothy greeting cards, glass mugs, tote bags, T-shirts and other merchandise, as well as a discount card for restaurants and shops called Friends of Dorothy. They dissolved the Friends of Dorothy franchise when Colley opened his new store in River Market called Hungry Monkey. “So now I get to do all the merchandise and I’m just going to run it through One Trunk Productions,” she said.
Dressler said she would be working with the Exposure Talent agency in Kansas City to focus on voiceover and commercial work.
Dressler has a great stage voice, but said she’s never had much vocal training, with the exception of about six months of lessons when she was 18. She said she got into singing because she liked musicals.
After The Dykes of Hazzard, she plans on doing more Late Night Theatre shows at Missie B’s, including bringing back Golden Girls in September, a holiday performance of A Very Late Night Christmas, and more in 2015. She also does the “Friends of Dirty Dorothy” show at Hamburger Mary’s. Based on the success of the 2014 “Kansas City Strips” show they held for AIDS Walk, she said she and Brooks and Ryan Gove plan to bring it back next year even bigger and better, in conjunction with Team Missie B’s.
“I’ve always got nine irons in the fire,” she said with a laugh.
Dressler grew up in Kansas City, Kan., and moved to Santa Monica, Calif., for several years and worked for Warner Brother Studios before moving back to Kansas City. She’s 36 years old and lives in a Plaza-area apartment with her partner, Nadine.
“Thirty-six going on 19,” she said with a laugh. “Old enough to know better, but young enough to still do it.”
The Dykes of Hazzard runs July 5-28. Tickets are $18, with VIP ticket packages available for $10 extra. Tickets can be purchased at: Dykes of Hazzard
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WhistlePig and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Wind Tunnel-Trialed Whiskey Is a Ryed You Don’t Want to Miss
SHOREHAM, VT (September 13, 2023) — WhistlePig Whiskey, the leaders in independent craft whiskey, and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake are waving the checkered flag on a legend-worthy release that’s taking whiskey to G-Force levels. The Limited Edition PiggyBack Legends Series: Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is a high Rye Whiskey selected by the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake drivers, with barrels trialed in their wind tunnel to ensure a thrilling taste in every sip.
The third iteration in WhistlePig’s Single Barrel PiggyBack Legends Series, the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is bottled at 96.77 proof, a nod to Valtteri Bottas’ racing number, 77, and the precision of racing. Inspired by Zhou Guanyu, the first Chinese F1 driver, this Rye Whiskey is finished with lychee and oolong tea. Herbal and floral notes of the oolong tea complement the herbaceous notes of WhistlePig’s signature PiggyBack 100% Rye, rounded out with a juicy tropical fruit finish and a touch of spice.
Like Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s signature C43 racing vehicles, trial barrels were tested in the team’s wind tunnel in Switzerland before hitting the track. Select barrels then endured varying levels of G-Forces at the WhistlePig farm and distillery for the finishing touch, accelerating the interaction between the whiskey and the wood, staying true to the physical nature of Formula 1.
“Partnering with WhistlePig has been a very exciting experience. Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake is dedicated to being the best on the track, and the crew at WhistlePig is fearless in their pursuit to create the best whiskey out there,” said Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s driver. “We’re really looking forward to fans tasting our custom Rye Whiskey and raising a glass to the rookies, veterans, legends and the exhilarating sport of F1.”
"Joining forces with WhistlePig to release a Single Barrel Rye Whiskey that represents my culture and team has been an honor,” said Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s driver. “Formula 1 brings together fearless, thrill-seeking motorsports professionals, and WhistlePig has a shared passion for boundary-pushing innovation. Together, we’ve selected something alarmingly good for fans to enjoy this season when the cars are not on track.”
The Limited Edition Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel will be available for purchase online starting around September 13 for $49.99 MSRP per 750ml bottle and sold in select stores across the U.S. Consumers can win VIP merchandise by scanning the QR code on the back of each bottle.
"We're taking our third Legends Series release on a ryed like never before,” said Meghan Ireland, WhistlePig Head Blender. "Our experiments with dynamic aging went full throttle during finishing trials at the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake wind tunnel, in turn inspiring new ways to expose barrels to G-forces back at the WhistlePig Farm. The herbal and floral notes of the lychee and tea barrel selected with the team create a new, podium-topping experience for PiggyBack Rye."
Fans and collectors have followed WhistlePig PiggyBack Legends Series, celebrating those who give 100% in the name of greatness, since its launch in March 2022 with Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, David Ortiz (“Big Papi”), followed by Country Music Duo Brothers Osborne in November 2022.
To learn more about WhistlePig Whiskey, visit whistlepigwhiskey.com. You can also check out WhistlePig Whiskey on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About WhistlePig Whiskey
Located off the grid on a 500-acre Vermont farm, WhistlePig Whiskey is crafted by a new generation of whiskey distillers and blenders driven to reinvent and unlock the flavor of Rye whiskey. Through their rebellious pursuit of experimenting and pushing boundaries in the industry, WhistlePig has become the leading independent craft whiskey brand for innovation. WhistlePig is committed to becoming the best whiskey on and for the planet, starting with its locally sourced ingredients and sustainable supply chain and distilling process. For more information, head to whistlepigwhiskey.com.
When I started medical transition at 20 years old, it was very difficult to get the care I needed for hormone replacement therapy because there are very few providers trained in starting hormones for trans people, even though it’s very similar to the hormones that we prescribe to women in menopause or cisgender men with low testosterone.
I hope more providers get trained in LGBTQ+ healthcare, so they can support patients along their individual gender journey, and provide the info needed to make informed decisions about their body. I’ve personally seen my trans patients find hope and experience a better quality of life through hormone replacement therapy.
If you don’t have a primary care physician who specializes in LGBTQ+ care in your community, you may need to educate yourself (and your provider). But, before you seek such therapy, here are five things you should know!
- Monitor closely. At Spectrum Medical Care Center, we screen patients for certain risks before starting anyone on hormones. We frequently monitor patients in the first year to ensure there are no adverse reactions and lab results are within safe ranges. Follow-up care is also important to assess your comfort with the transition as well as the social impact and social support you’re experiencing.
- Some changes are permanent, some temporary. For transmasculine individuals going on testosterone, they’ll experience these permanent changes: deepened voice, clitoral enlargement (also known as bottom growth), more body, facial hair, and male pattern baldness. Reversible changes include cessation of menses, increased muscle mass and strength, body fat redistribution, and skin oiliness or acne. For those going on estrogen therapy, the most permanent change is breast growth. Feminizing hormone therapy can also cause atrophy (shrinkage) of the genitals and loss of erectile function that may not be reversible. Estrogen will thin body hair, soften the skin, can increase scalp hair, and decrease muscle mass and strength, all of which are reversible.
- You can’t pick and choose results. Unfortunately, you can’t pick and choose the physical changes you want, which may feel challenging. Some of my patients will say, ‘Okay, ‘I’ve seen the permanent changes I want, and I don’t want it to go any further,’ and so at that point, we stop therapy. Low-dose hormone therapy can slow down the rate of changes, allowing for a more gradual physical transition. We counsel patients in advance about the common changes, and it’s up to the individual as to when they’d like to scale back and determine whether some benefits are worth the potential risks.
- Be aware of risks. Like any medical treatment, there are potential risks involved. Some risks with testosterone therapy include increased red blood cell mass, acne, hypertension, sleep apnea, weight gain, and dyslipidemia (increases the chance of clogged arteries). Cardiovascular disease is likely increased with additional risk factors for testosterone and estrogen therapy. Transfeminine patients going on estrogen therapy may experience weight gain, thromboembolic disease (when a blood clot breaks off and blocks another blood vessel), and a high level of triglycerides in the blood.
Descanso Resort, Palm Springs' premier destination for gay men, just received Tripadvisor's highest honor, a Travelers' Choice "Best of the Best" award for 2023. Based on guests' reviews and ratings, fewer than 1% of Tripadvisor's 8 million listings around the world receive the coveted "Best of the Best" designation. Descanso ranked 12th in the top 25 small inns and hotels category in the United States. Quite an accomplishment!
Open less than two years, Descanso Resort offers gay men a relaxing and luxurious boutique hotel experience just minutes away from Palm Springs' buzziest restaurants, nightclubs, and shopping. Descanso has quickly established itself as a top destination for sophisticated gay travelers, earning hundreds of 5-star guest reviews and consistently ranking in Trapadvisor's top positions alongside brother properties Santiago Resort and Twin Palms Resort.
"Our entire team is honored to be named Best of the Best. To be the only gay men's resort recognized in the Top 1% is incredibly humbling," said Kent Taylor, General Manager at Descanso. "We appreciate Tripadvisor and we're grateful to all our guests who gave us such high marks and reviews to help us reach this achievement."
“Ranking among the Best of the Best demonstrates that you have provided exemplary experiences to those who maZer most: your guests,” said John Boris, Chief Growth Officer at Tripadvisor. “With changing expectations, continued labor shortages, and rising costs, this is no easy feat, and I am con6nually impressed with the hospitality industry’s resilience and ability to adapt.”
Santiago Resort was once again honored by Tripadvisor with a 2023 Travelers’ Choice award, placing it among the top 10% of travelers’ top reviewed des6na6ons. Twin Palms will become eligible for ranking in 2024.
Check out all the reviews, and discover more about Descanso Resort on Tripadvisor here. We have an excellent library of resort imagery available to accompany editorial and additional resources on our press page. Please contact Descanso Resort’s General Manager, Kent Taylor, at kent@descansoresort.com for further information.
About Descanso Resort
Inspired by Palm Springs’ history as a des6na6on for Hollywood stars to unwind in privacy, Descanso offers guests a casual yet modern take on the legendary style of that 6me. Created by the same hospitality team that revitalized Palm Springs’ much-loved San6ago Resort and recently launched the all-new Twin Palms Resort, the Descanso property opened in 2022 featuring 15 spacious guest rooms with custom-designed furniture, dreamy King-size beds, and luxe details. Ameni6es include continental breakfast, poolside lunch, welcome snack basket, and lots of special touches. For guests who need to stay connected, the entire property is equipped with blazing-fast Wi-Fi. Mul6-speed bikes are available for exploring the surrounding midcentury neighborhoods and public art installations. Like the Hollywood stars before them, guests at Descanso are encouraged to unwind, relax, and rest in style.
About Tripadvisor
Travelers across the globe use the Tripadvisor site and app to discover where to stay, what to do and where to eat based on guidance from those who have been there before. With more than 1 billion reviews and opinions of nearly 8 million businesses, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to find deals on accommodations, book experiences, reserve tables at delicious restaurants and discover great places nearby.