"When one allows one's truth to shine…" (DRED Gerestant)
Mildred Gerestant, an American of Haitian background, known as DRED is performer, singer, activist, actress, lecturer and poet. She is renowned for drag appearances, as the queen of disguise that mimes men's roles and looks for masculinity in women.
Using theatre, dance, film, cultural history, LOTS of humor, DRED breaks down racial and gender stereotypes, and conventional gender roles created in society hoping to create a better understanding and acceptance of the beauty of the expression of one's individual truth. Her performances are travesties of male icons such as Superfly, Shaft, p. Diddy, Isaac Hayes, Sly Stone and others. Although she has been called the female version of Eddie Murphy/John Leguziamo, and the black version of Tracy Ullman, DRED is in a league all her own. She has appeared in numerous television programs (Sex2K, Sex in the City, The Maury Povich Show, Ricki Lake …). She is working on two feature films and this summer also worked with Steven Spielberg on Terminal where she sings a Haitian Creole hymn she wrote. She has created a performance DRED! The GoD/Dess in Me - Scary Beautiful and Drunk on Self-Love (2004).
Through her performances she draws attention to how society domesticates us into our preconceived notions of sexuality, race, gender, life, humanity, and spirituality, and she tries to bring us a bit closer to recognising and getting rid of learned constraints, prejudices and stereotypes we daily meet.
Suzana Tratnik
