Kelly Mantle

Kelly Mantle

Kelly Mantle at the world premiere of her latest film "Confessions of a Womanizer" at the Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose, CA March 2014.
Born (1976-07-09) 9 July 1976
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.
Residence Los Angeles, California U.S.
Other names Brandy Warhol, Bijoux Deluxe
Occupation Actor, drag performer, singer-songwriter
Years active 1996–present

Musical career

Instruments Vocals
Associated acts Barbarellatones, Rollz Royces, Sex with Lurch, Tranzkuntinental
Website KellyMantle.com

Kelly Mantle is an American actor, comedian, musician, drag queen and reality television personality. He appeared as a contestant on the sixth season of hit reality TV show RuPaul's Drag Race.

Early life

Kelly Mantle was born in Oklahoma City but grew up in Cordell, Oklahoma.[1] Mantle graduated with a BFA in Theatre from the University of Oklahoma.[2]

Career

After college, Mantle went to Chicago to begin his career as an actor. He acted in plays such as The Convention and Royal Flush.[3][4] Lone Star/Laundry & Bourbon was the first production by OKRA Theatre, a theater company started by Mantle and his friend Tracy Parks, who directed the play.[5][6]

Mantle also studied at Second City in Chicago. He has performed with many sketch comedy troupes in Chicago and Los Angeles including The Milk Carton Children where his "famous" character Dusty Rhodes was brought to life. The character eventually evolved, and The Dusty Rhodes Show was born. Mantle performed as Dusty Rhodes once a month for three years with new material and songs and surprise guests each month.

In 1998, Mantle starred in the Chicago production of Charles Busch's play Vampire Lesbians of Sodom.[7] After two years of living in Chicago, he moved to Los Angeles.[5] He later auditioned for the Los Angeles production of Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, where he was scouted and signed by a talent agent.[8]

In Los Angeles, Mantle became a member of the band Sex with Lurch, which was formed by lead singer Robbie Quinne and guitarist Bernard Yin (Medicine, Pansy Division). As part of the group, Mantle used the stage name "Brandy Warhol". The group disbanded in December 2002. Mantle later joined Robbie Quinne's follow-up band the Barbarellatones.[5][9]

Mantle has made numerous television guest star appearances on such shows as NYPD Blue (in the recurring role of Dan "Monika" Hofnagle), CSI, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Nip/Tuck, Southland, Judging Amy, Cold Case, Will & Grace, George Lopez, Cuts, Eve,10-8, The New Normal, Rizzoli & Isles, Eagleheart, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Mike & Molly. Mantle has also starred in several television pilots including Queens on the Road, and Three Strikes (a Jon Stewart pilot for Comedy Central). Film credits include The Convent (premiered at the Sundance Film Festival), Straight Eye: The Movie, True Rights, Buds for Life, Pop Kowboy, and instant cult hit, The Boys & Girls Guide to Getting Down.

Mantle's background as a theater actor has led him to many exciting adventures, including the launch of his own one-person show, The Confusion Of My Illusion, which was produced at the Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center at the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center in Los Angeles, California. Other notable performances include Jo in the critically acclaimed musical-play All This & Heaven Too, which had an extended run at The Macha Theatre in West Hollywood, California. Before that, Mantle received rave reviews for his portrayal of Gash in Laguna Playhouse's production of Last Easter. Mantle also starred alongside Heather Reid (from the band, The Murmurs) in the world premiere musical Dear Bernard (also penned and composed by Reid and produced by Jorja Fox from CSI). Mantle received a Maddy Award for Best Actor for his performance in Dear Bernard. Additional theater credits include the world premiere of Tony and Tony's Wedding, the Chicago and Hollywood revivals of Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, and the award-winning all-male production of Lone Star/Laundry and Bourbon in which Mantle starred and co-produced. It was hailed as the best show of the year by The Chicago Tribune's Year-In-Review.[10]

As a stand-up comedian, Mantle was featured on LOGO's stand-up comedy special, "DragTastic NYC.” in 2011.

In addition to acting, Mantle has appeared in numerous print ads and on several fashion runways. Mantle was a featured model in photographer Steven Meisel's award-winning photo spread, Night Clubbing, published in Italian Vogue Magazine. A few other print credits worth mentioning include the poster boy for Pro-Tools and various Toyota ads.[10]

Mantle is also an accomplished singer, songwriter, and musician. To date, he has recorded three albums which have been hailed by critics everywhere. His debut album, Ever Changing, captured Mantle's first collection of very personal songs written and performed to an acoustic guitar. Chris Freeman (from the band, Pansy Division), came on board as producer and recorded the songs with a full band essentially creating Mantle's initial sound. Mantle's second album, Rock N Glow, (also produced by Freeman) was a more elaborate effort creating a more rock-n-roll sound while maintaining Mantle's personally poetic writing style. Most recently, Mantle teamed up with producer, Steven Phillips, to record his third album. The result is a beautifully composed, electronic-driven recording called, Satellite Baby. Since the release of his third album Mantle has recorded various covers including a rendition of Khia's "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" released in 2013 that was acclaimed by Khia herself.[10]

Mantle was also a member of the band Tranzkuntinental. The band was started by Charlie Paulson and Xander Smith and features drag queens Detox, Rhea Litré, Vicky Vox, and Willam Belli.[11][12] Currently, Mantle is a member of the band the Rollz Royces with Tammie Brown and Michael Catti. Mantle and Catti have appeared in Tammie Brown's Christmas show Holiday Sparkle at Fubar in West Hollywood, California.[13]

In 2014 Mantle starred in Confessions of a Womanizer (with Gary Busey) which has been screened to critical acclaim at film festivals across the United States.

Most recently Kelly released the single and music video for "Keyboard Courage". The song was written and recorded by Mantle as an empowerment anthem in response to the cyberbullying epidemic faced by adolescents, and is the first single off of his upcoming album slated for early 2016. Kelly also just finished filming American Dream (with Nick Stahl) and Middle Man alongside Jim O'Heir, Josh McDermitt, and Andrew J. West. Both films will be released in theaters in 2016. [10]

RuPaul's Drag Race

In December 2013, Logo announced that Mantle was among 14 drag queens who would be competing on the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race.[14] He was eliminated in the first episode, lip-synching to Express Yourself against Vivacious.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Song Year Album
"My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" 2013 Non-album single
"Main Event" 2014 RuPaul Presents: The Covergurlz
"Eliminated" (featuring Bownce and Wendy Ho) Non-album single
"Keyboard Courage" 2015 Non-album single

Music videos

Song Year Director
"Satellite Baby" 2007 N/A
"My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" 2013 Andrew Putschoegl
"Main Event" 2014 N/A
"Eliminated" 2014 Kija Manharé
"Keyboard Courage" 2015 Gordon Cowie

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2000 The Convent Dickie-Boy
2000 True Rights Cleo
2000 Super Duper Maddie Short film
2002 Superfag Apacalipstick Short film
2004 Straight Eye: The Movie Himself Short film
2004 Buds for Life Sierra Bonita
2006 The Boys & Girls Guide to Getting Down Drag Queen
2013 American Dream Katrina Post-production
2013 Confessions of a Womanizer Ginger

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1999 Undressed Howie Episode: "Love It or Leave It Again"
2003 NYPD Blue Dan "Monika" Hoffnagle 2 episodes
2003 Nip/Tuck Transgender Woman #2 Episode: "Sofia Lorez Part II"
2003 10-8: Officers on Duty Raven Episode: "Badlands"
2003 Cold Case Drag Performer #2 Episode: "A Time to Hate"
2004 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Bartender Episode: "Ch-Ch-Changes"
2004 Judging Amy Velvet Episode: "Order and Chaos"
2005 George Lopez Deep Voice Singer Episode: "George Buys a Vow"
2005 Eve Rudy Episode: "Moral Minority"
2005 Cuts Peter Episode: "Strictly Bizz-Nass"
2008 The New Adventures of Old Christine Sparkle Episode: "Happy Endings"
2009 Southland Lacey Episode: "See the Woman"
2011 One Night Stand Up Himself Episode: "Dragtastic NYC"
2011 Mike & Molly Steven Episode: "Joyce & Vince And Peaches & Herb"
2011 Curb Your Enthusiasm Kelly Episode: "Palestinian Chicken"
2012 Eagleheart 'Maph Episode: "Little Dude"
2012 Rizzoli & Isles Kitty Episode: "Melt My Heart to Stone"
2012 The New Normal Aubrey Episode: "Pilot"
2014 RuPaul's Drag Race Himself Episode: "RuPaul's Big Opening (Part 1)"
14th place

Web series

Year Title Role Notes
2013 Love On-The-Line Himself Season 1, Episode 9: "The Meet-Cute Part II"

Theatre

Year Title Role Theatre
1994 Eastern Standard[15] Peter Kidde Rupel Jones Theatre
1994 Red Scare on Sunset[16] Malcolm Sooner Theatre
1994 The Foreigner[17] Ellard Simms Rupel Jones Theatre
1994 Holdenville[18] Rupel Jones Theatre
1995 The Nerd[19] Willum Cubbert Weitzenhoffer Theatre
1995 Lysistrata[20] Weitzenhoffer Theatre
1996 The Convention[3] Sammy Wilcox The Comedy Asylum
1997 Royal Flush[4] Camille Athenaeum Theatre
1997 Lone Star/Laundry & Bourbon[6] Ray/Hattie OKRA Theatre
1998 Four Dogs and a Bone[21] Victor Cafe Voltaire
1998 Vampire Lesbians of Sodom[7] Madeleine Aaah! Capella Theatre Cafe
2004 Dear Bernard[22] Jon Meshelle Court Theatre
2006 Last Easter[23] Gash Laguna Playhouse
2007 All This, And Heaven Too[24] Jo Macha Theatre
2008 The Facts of Life: The Lost Episode[25] Blair Warner Macha Theatre
2010 The Confusion of My Illusion[26] One-person show Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center
2010 Love, Connie[27] Bambi Cavern Club
2011 Hollywood Dream Role[28] ACME Comedy Theatre
2011 Charlie! The Death of Nancy Fullforce[25] Kitty Glitter Art/Works Theatre
2012 Valley of the Dolls[29] Sacred Fools Theater Company

References

  1. ↑ Normal, Abby (29 December 2013). "Kelly Mantle Stars on RuPaul's Drag Race". Yahoo! Voices. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  2. ↑ "Kelly Mantle: Actor, Comedian, Singer/Songwriter, Raconteur & Activist". KellyMantle.com. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  3. 1 2 Smith, Sid (7 August 1996). "Chaotic `Convention' Hopelessly Dated, Unfunny". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  4. 1 2 Smith, Sid (9 July 1997). "`Royal' Struggles Under The Weight Of Its Ideas". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 Deluxe, Bijoux. "Girltalk Magazine". KellyMantle.com. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  6. 1 2 Bommer, Lawrence (15 August 1997). "Oklahoma-texas Laugh Track". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  7. 1 2 Rauzi, Robin (15 October 1998). "Campy Neck-Biting : Physical comedy makes lesbian vampires' rivalry hilarious.". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  8. ↑ Wadewitz, Mikel. "The Right Kind of Attention". KellyMantle.com. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
  9. ↑ Debonne, Greg (2007). "TheBarbarellatones". The Music Manor. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
  10. 1 2 3 4 http://www.kellymantle.com/bio_press.html
  11. ↑ Lecaro, Lina (2 May 2011). "L.A.'s A Drag: The Reign of Raja, Tranzkuntinental (and Adam Lambert) On Stage and the Dance Floor". LA Weekly. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  12. ↑ Horbelt, Stephan (13 October 2011). "Scream Queens: Meet the Ghouls of Tranzkuntinental". Frontiers. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  13. ↑ Spargo, Chris (21 November 2012). "Tammie Brown's Holiday Show Is The Event Of The Season". New Now Next. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  14. ↑ Beard, Lanford (9 December 2013). "'RuPaul's Drag Race': Check out the sickening season 6 supertease and meet the queens -- EXCLUSIVE VIDEO". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
  15. ↑ Brandenburg, John (25 February 1994). "Comedy of Manners Provides Delights". The Oklahoman. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  16. ↑ Brandenburg, John (13 May 1994). "Stone Soup's Blacklisting Era Satire Tries a Bit Too Hard". The Oklahoman. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  17. ↑ Brandenburg, John (7 July 1993). "OU Comedy Rousing Melodrama". The Oklahoman. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  18. ↑ "OU's "Lysistrata" a Comic Treat". The Oklahoman. 9 September 1995. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  19. ↑ "The Nerd delivers guffaws, fun". The Oklahoma Daily. 27 June 1995. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  20. ↑ "OU's "Lysistrata" a Comic Treat". The Oklahoman. 7 April 1995. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  21. ↑ Jones, Chris (20 January 1998). "A Sardonic Look at Hollywood Culture". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  22. ↑ Shaner, Madeleine (21 July 2004). "DEAR BERNARD". Backstage. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  23. ↑ Titus, Tom (28 April 2006). "Comedy, heartache blend in 'Last Easter'". Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  24. ↑ Holder, Travis Michael (6 December 2007). "ALL THIS, AND HEAVEN TOO". Entertainment Today. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  25. 1 2 "Kelly Mantle Theatre Credits and Profile". About the Artists. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  26. ↑ "Theater Reviews: The Confusion of My Illusion, The Psychic, Sweet Sue". LA Weekly. 1 April 2010. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  27. ↑ Morris, Steven Leigh (19 July 2010). "Stage Raw: Procreation". LA Weekly. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  28. ↑ "ACME Comedy Hollywood :: HOLLYWOOD DREAM ROLE!". ACME Comedy Theatre. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  29. ↑ Gans, Andrew (17 September 2012). "Casting Announced for Staged Reading of "Valley of the Dolls"". Playbill. Retrieved 1 November 2013.

External links

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