2 019 1 May 2019 Greetings Flaggots Enthusiast! Matt Eisert HAPPY PRIDE 2019! THANK YOU for the love and support Director, Flaggots Ohio you’ve shown Flaggots Ohio over the past 17 years! We had [email protected] a whirlwind tour in 2018 including Indy Pride, Columbus Pride, Cincinnati Pride and Akron Pride …and we couldn’t have done it without our fans and supporters! Flaggots Ohio is well underway in our planning stage for another great pride-filled year ahead! You’ll find our unique embellishment during the Stonewall 50 performance at the Columbus Arts Festival, during the Columbus Pride Parade and Festival once again mid-June, then we’re off to dazzle the streets of New York City as we perform in the 2019 World Pride Parade, commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall riots! We are THRILLED to take part in such a monumental celebration! I write to you today to ask that you might consider supporting Flaggots Ohio this year with a contribution during this 2019 Pride Season. We believe that our efforts do indeed have a positive impact on our community while representing Columbus, OH in crowd pleasing performances wherever we are called to perform. Our anticipated participation in 2019 community events will not be possible without your support. Donations are accepted at the mailing address listed below or online at www.FlaggotsOhio.org through PayPal. If you are unable to make a monetary contribution but still want to help, please contact me directly to discuss other options. THANK YOU in advance for your continued support!!! We hope your 2019 Pride season will be joyous and we look forward to seeing you on a street or at a festival near you! Thank you again for your interest in Flaggots Ohio. Flaggots Ohio LLC | 1790 Kenview Road | Columbus OH 43209 | 614 562 6288 | www.flaggotsohio.org The Flaggots Ohio Story WHO WE ARE OUR MISSION BACKSTORY Flaggots Ohio is a GLBT (& straight!) colorguard based To develop a volunteer visual performance ensemble 1994: Early Seeds. A group of 10 march with the Columbus Gay Men’s in Columbus, Ohio. We have members from all corners that is challenging and enjoyable for its members Chorus in the Columbus Gay Pride Parade and perform to Give It Up at the Pride Rally at Bicentennial Park. of the Midwest who make our group what it is...FUN! while producing the highest quality entertainment 1997-1999: Groundwork. In 1997, a small flag ensemble and 1 rifle ap- within our means. peared in the Columbus Gay Pride parade. 2002: Debut! Flaggots Ohio debuted with 15 performers in the Columbus Our Director Pride Parade performing to Mary J. Blige’s No More Drama. Later that year, FO performed at the National PFLAG Conference held in Columbus. 2003: Beautiful. FO debuts original choreography to Christina Aguilera’s Beautiful at AIDS Walk Central Ohio and a comprehensive Ohio Pride Tour including Dayton, Cincinnati and Columbus. Performance History 2004: All Things Just Keep Getting Better. FO enjoys increased media coverage in 2004, adds a new website, and completes 2 live performances AIDS Walk Central Ohio OSU Homecoming Parade with Simone Denny, singer of the season’s title song and theme of TV’s Queer 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 2013, 2014 Eye for the Straight Guy. 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012-19 Columbus Pride 2005: California Dreamin’. FO sends 20 proud Ohio representatives to the Akron Pride 1993, 1997, 2002-10, 2012-19 San Diego Pride Parade and Festival in July, winning “Most Outrageous and 2017, 2018 Columbus Arts Festival Creative Marching Float” in the process! Equality Ohio 2019 2006: How We Got Here… FO brings Deborah Cox to the streets with the 2008 New York City Pride anthem Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here, entertaining record crowds from 2011, 2019 Columbus to Kings Island and Gay Games VII in Chicago! Matt Eisert Gay Games 9 Cleveland 2014 San Diego Pride 2007: Superfreak… FO’s dazzles crowds at the June Gallery Hop, CLGSA’s Bat-N-Rouge Softball Game as well as winning Best 2007 Performance at the Matt Eisert brings many years of business and Gay Games 7 Chicago 2005 2006 Palm Springs Pride Columbus Pride Parade and Festival! pageantry experience to his role as Director of Pride Night Kings Island 2007 2008: Mesmerized… Ohio’s Flaggots met up with their Spinning Sisters— Flaggots Ohio. With a business background in Project 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 Dayton Pride ROTC Chicago—to mesmerize Indianapolis, performing Defying Gravity, Management added to performance experience from PFLAG National Conference 2003, 2004, 2005 Girlfriend and FO’s 2008 Feature...Mesmerized! color guard, dance, theater and choral music, he not 2002 Indianapolis Pride 2009: Absolutely Not… FO brings another Deborah Cox anthem— only coordinates the ensemble’s leadership and visual Mary Ann Brandt 2008, 2018 Absolutely Not—to a new Columbus Pride parade route with revitalized teams but also acts as President of 2002–2019 (various shows) Chicago Pride membership. 2010: Fever… FO sizzles the pavement to Cascada’s Fever and then shifts Flaggots Ohio, LLC. California Dreamin’ 2016 2005 (stage variety show) Cincinnati Pride gears for a big trip... He has also appeared with the Madison Scouts Drum Dancin’ in the Streets 2003, 2018 2011: The Big Apple… FO takes a year off in Columbus, and the break & Bugle Corps, the Steel City Ambassadors, Excalibur 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Cleveland Pride allows members from FO to join our mother group in the New York City Pride Parade for the first time! Drum & Bugle Corps, Presque Isle Night Raiders, Bat ‘n’ Rouge 2004 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010, Pittsburgh Pride 2012: Stronger… FO brings Kelly Clarkson’s pop anthem to the streets of Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus, Flaggots New York, 2012-19 2012 Pittsburgh for the first time, and dazzles the crowd with rifle inMoves Like ROTC Chicago, and the Edinboro University marching Gallery Hops, Columbus Yellow Springs Pride Jagger. band. His production and choreography credits in- 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2013 2013: When Love Takes Over… FO brings David Guetta & Kelly Rowland’s clude various shows for Mary Ann Brandt, Nina West, 2013, 2014 WorldPride dance hit to summer Pride season plus a rifle/flag feature of Lady Gaga’s Columbus Stompers, and Stonewall Columbus. Via Colori, Columbus 2014 (Toronto), 2019 (NYC) Applause. 2004, 2005 Washington DC Pride 2014: Wings… FO takes the Little Mix hit Wings international and wins Best Stompers Invitational 2015, 2017 Choreography in the 2014 Toronto WorldPride Parade for their efforts! 2004 National Pride March (DC) 2015: Raise Your Glass… FO brings Pink’s Raise Your Glass to Washington GALA Chorus Concert 2017 DC Pride and the 2015 Gay Softball World Series in Columbus. 1996 Gay Softball World Series 2016: I Wanna Dance with Somebody!… FO brings a long overdue OSU Drums & Dough 2015 tribute to diva Whitney Houston to the streets of Chicago and Columbus. 2012, 2013, 2014 2017: Rise Up…FO takes Andra Day to the streets of Washington DC for the National Pride March, a hot show for hot times! 2018: Vogue…FO finally brings every fairy’s godmother to the streets in a stylish presentation of Madonna’s Vogue! 2019: Kill the Lights…FO lights up the streets of NYC for Stonewall’s 50th with an electrifying rendition of Alex Newell’s Kill the Lights. Who can join Flaggots Ohio? Membership Info YOU CAN! All it takes is time, love for your fellow citizens— regardless of their diversity, love for this peculiar Performing Support pageantry activity, and an unabashed desire to display your fabulousness. Members Members Many performing members of Flaggots It cannot be overstated how important Ohio have some kind of pageantry per- support roles are to Flaggots Ohio! Membership Basics formance background, whether being in We simply could not operate without high school colorguard or a world-class a talented and hard-working crew Flaggots Ohio is a diverse group of people with drum and bugle corps / winterguard. of people minding all the details of wide-ranging performance backgrounds who all But you need not have ANY performing each performance and supporting the come together to represent our community and experience to join FO as a performer! performers. have FUN while creating uplifting pageantry and vibrant entertainment anyone can enjoy. Even if you’ve never spun a flag or rifle If you are more interested in behind- before, we’ll help you build the skills you the-scenes participation, there are There are many roles you can play in our organi- need during winter technical rehearsals many roles you can fill. FO needs zation. Visit our website for winter rehearsal and in preparation for the summer season. support crew to drive the sound truck clinic schedules and download the membership Each performer is expected to pass (affectionately named “Ruby”), pass handbook. Or email us for more information at a basic skills assessment in order to out water during parades, document [email protected]. We look forward perform, but with dedication and hard our engagements in photographs and to meeting you! work on your part, you’ll experience the video, carry the banner and honor joy and camaraderie only the Flaggots flags, operate the sound system, and can offer! distribute marketing materials to the crowds. We also have other internal roles where your help may benefit FO, including web development & fundraising. You have a place with us—just ask! 2 019 Season Schedule* Performance History AIDS Walk Central Ohio OSU Homecoming Parade 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 2013, 2014 APR 13 >> AIDS Walk Central Ohio 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012-19