Drag it Up – A Weekend Workshop with Father JC (Laura Wyatt O’Keeffe)
Dates: 4th & 5th October 2025
Time: Saturday 1–6PM and Sunday 1-5PM
Venue: The Core, Corby
Price: Pay What You Can / £20 for both days
Age: 16+
This workshop is part of Father JC’s Holy Show tour. Come see the show at The Core on 25th October! 🎤✨
🎟 Book here
🔥 What is Drag it Up?
Drag it Up is a playful, provocative, and powerful weekend performance workshop led by queer Irish theatre artist and drag king Laura Wyatt O’Keeffe, aka Father JC. No drag, writing, or performance experience required.
This workshop is part of the Father JC’s Holy Show UK tour, and is your chance to dive into drag and storytelling while exploring themes of identity, community and sacred spaces – from dancefloors to Nan’s kitchen. Over two afternoons, you’ll create your own drag persona and develop a short performance.
💒 This workshop is for you if:
- Pride inspired you to try something new
- You've always wanted to try drag or cabaret, but didn’t know where to begin
- You're curious about drag as an art form
- You're an artist looking to expand your creative practice
- You enjoy being creative in a supportive environment
- You want to meet like-minded people in a fun space
- You love hanging out at The Core!
🪩 What You'll Explore:
- What is drag?
- The cultural significance of drag
- Themes from Father JC’s Holy Show – What are our “sacred spaces”?
- Personal & cultural stories: from local stories to gossip to rituals
- Character development and storytelling
👤 About the Artist
Laura Wyatt O’Keeffe is a multi-award nominated queer Irish performer, writer, and theatre-maker whose work explores gender politics, identity and community. Her projects have toured across the UK and Europe, and she has led workshops with the Barbican, Marlowe Theatre, LAMDA, University College Cork and more.
Her drag persona Father JC has performed at Soho Theatre, The Roundhouse, The Clapham Grand, Latitude, Mighty Hoopla, and Margate Pride – and now she’s bringing the holy show to Corby.
Part of the focus of these workshops is for Laura to meet more drag performers, support emerging artists and to offer them performance opportunities in future work.
Places are limited – book early!
Workshop developed with support from Arts Council England.