Venue:
Event type: RuPaul’s DragCon UK
About the event:
XRuPaul’s DragConUK isa two-day fan convention and expo celebrating drag culture, featuring iconic queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race, both UK and international editions, with performances, meet-and-greets, shopping stalls, and more, held annually at ExCeLLondon.
Brief:
For this year’s event, Showcase was tasked with designing and building the following several areas including:
- The Merch Booth
- The Main Stage
- VIP & AVP Platforms
- WOW Booth
- Touch-up with Raven TV Studio
Solution:
LIVE STREAMING & BROADCAST
Similar to 2024’s event Showcase also commissioned by ‘World of Wonder Television’ to broadcast to WOW presents TV channel, this included shows on main stage and the pink carpet catwalk / parade by over 200 queens.
EVENT MAIN STAGE
Showcase created the 12m x 10m main stage with rear access to enable artists and performers to enter via a draped-off backstage area. The stages backdrop was a 5m x 3m LED screen on which playback video and infomercial content was played, the backdrop to the stage was a red velvet drape to create dramatic entrance and exit points. The highlight was RuPaul’s DJ set on a platform and structure we design and built 4m above the audience.
Showcase was in charge of the lighting for the two-day event and the after-parties. The lighting design needed to provide maximum impact and so involved using haze machines to give the ‘wow’ effect and build anticipation and energy before and during the performances. They used a line array sound system controlled by digital consoles.
VIP PLATFORM & ACCESSIBLE VIEWING PLATFORMS
Showcase redesigned the two 120sqm event viewing platforms to enable better views of the stage as well as being able to accommodate larger audience numbers. These platforms took on an ‘L’ shape which gave an increased surface area for viewing. These platforms were fitted with safety handrails and accessibility ramps.
WORLD OF WONDER BOOTH – STUDIO 1
Showcase created this dramatic 13m x 6m set for host Michelle Visage, which was part of the pink carpet live streaming where Michelle would interview Drag Queens live as they had finished their walk, down the 200m pink carpet, by employing external print walling, decorative draping and CNC cut lettering.
Touch-up with Raven
Basically, Showcase created another TV studio for the event. They fitted the stage with all the necessary technical equipment to ensure that all content was produced in the most professional manner possible, technically and creatively.
The studio design was from a previous show in LA and showcase took the visuals and plans to create the UK version. Showcase also provided the furniture for this stage both on stage and backstage, including the 200-seater audience
MERCH BOOTH
Showcase repurposed the merchandise stand design they created for the 2023 event, which included a storage area for further stock.
Delivery:
For this two-day event, Showcase provided almost 100 staff, these included seven project managers, media engineers, riggers, lighting engineers, jib operators, LED technicians, camera operators, sounds engineers, stage managers, production managers, streaming engineers, vision directors and mixers, along with set builders, stage builders, local crew. Showcase provided five artic lorries (running on palm-free HVO fuel) and one 18t lorry.
Project Service Summary:
Main stage with LED screen
Velvet curtains for backdrops
Lighting and special effects
Video equipment
Sound equipment
Line array sound system
Truss, rigging and draping
Large-scale print for stage branding
Technical production
Project management
Event furniture for BBMG Stage
Technical drawings, calculations
3D Renders
Live streaming
Live studios
Multitrack audio recording
Multi-track video recording
Videography
Camera jibs
Stage platforms
