March 24th will go down as a night of glamour, drag, disco dancing, music and overall food and drink gluttony at Edmonton’s Yellowhead Brewing Co.

The famed Guys in Disguise group – "creators and presenters of cross-dressing comedies since 1987" – have selected the date to celebrate more than two decades in North American theatre.

"When we started this journey, we simply wanted to create a show for the Edmonton Fringe. Year by year we have been emboldened by the success of each project and enjoy pushing the perceived boundaries of drag performance," says Darrin Hagen who, with partner Kevin Hendricks comprise the main body of the group. "No one can see 25 years into the future. We just approach it year by year."

The troupe will be displaying photo archives by way of slideshows throughout the evening and offer poster archive giveaways. The Guys In Disguise Classic will be offering a performance, and a pictorial presentation of the group’s history.

"There will also be prizes, a balloon lottery and a silent auction created by our many friends and sponsors in the community," Hagen says.

Having been a pivotal and influential group in western Canada’s drag scene since the late ‘80s, Guys in Disguise has several achievements to boast at this party: creating a Queer-friendly cultural climate where emerging queer artists can explore their unique voice; 20 years of putting on the annual Loud & Queer Cabaret; being the first drag troupe in Western Canada to go public; being the first queer theatre company in Alberta; performing as part of the Alberta Scene at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa; taking "BitchSlap!" on tour to Florida; and the publication of ‘The Edmonton Queen’, "which added a distinct survivor’s voice to the national discussion of Queer history, and which has been studied internationally by students of gender, queer theory and Canadian lit," says Hagen.

"The success of Guys In Disguise has helped to create a climate where queer artists can be confident that there is an audience for their message," he says. "It has also created a respect for the art of drag performance by consistently challenging preconceived notions of what drag is and how it is presented."

The group has persevered through media slander, the loss of many members amid the ‘90s, and a great many more challenges to continually provide opportunity for generation after generation of LGBT artists in Alberta and beyond.

"Our shows have opened eyes to the history of drag, and to the reality that drag is not merely something you see when you go to a gay bar, but part of the history and culture of the world," Hagen states. "It has helped educate our largely hetero audience about the lives of the history and people in our community. And it has done so through extremely accessible humour."

"Lastly, it has taken the formerly easy-to-dismiss caricature of drag queens and compelled the audience – and the media – to re-think that faulty assumption."

The troupe has created more than 24 hit comedies including PileDriver!, BitchSlap!, The Edmonton Queen, Tornado Magnet, and Christmas sensation With Bells On to sold out crowds from Calgary, Red Deer, Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Whitehorse, Orlando, Key West, Seattle and more.

And their momentum keeps building. Hagen says more plays and more queer writer development is on the horizon.

"Plus we are currently going through 25 years of our archives in order to donate them to the Edmonton Gay Archives, the provincial archives, and the National Gay Archives," he says. "There are many more plans afoot, but I would prefer to wait until they are more solid before announcing them."

This gala is an opportunity for the troupe to thank their audiences and sponsors, many of whom have shared the ride for decades, supporting the group’s work year after year.

If you are interested in participating in this special night there are several fun options available:

Sponsor one of Canada’s top Queens paying homage to the group. For $200 your name will appear in lights and you and a guest will receive complimentary tickets to the night; donate a prize – gift or merchandise – for the balloon lottery/silent auction; or just simply purchase a ticket and attend. Tickets are available online at www.GuysinDisguise.com or at TixOnTheSquare.ca.

"The biggest lesson I have learned is to not wait until you feel the world is ready for your message," Hagen says. "Just start delivering the message and watch the world prove that it has been ready all along. Artists are instruments of change, not followers of trends."

"It’s what we do for a living."