Today we’d like to introduce you to Oona Upland.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Oona. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Well, I’d like to think I come from many places: I was born in Brooklyn New York, but raised in a small town outside of Raleigh North Carolina. I have family all over, Boston, Richmond, Detroit, Seville, and so many other places. Being an only child, I was fortunate to be raised by a wide variety of people, cultures, and personalities. I come from the theatre and was a musical theatre major back in school. At 4, I started dancing and went on to do competition dance, along with singing in various choirs, among many other artistic outlets. I started doing drag a little over three years ago, my very first time was at a Cyndi Lauper concert. Initially, drag was a way for me to channel my theatrical idols. I was largely inspired by both Broadway and old Hollywood, and drag was my own way of embodying this idea of glamour that I had grown up with. As I’ve grown and changed, activism and education have become major passions of mine, along with performance and entertainment. I’ve dedicated my life to the arts, specifically musical theatre, and that was what initially brought me to San Diego. Since moving to San Diego, I’ve had countless amazing opportunities, and am so incredibly lucky to have a wide variety of friends, connections, work, and experiences. A little more about me… I’m a Libra, an old soul, and have been in sunny San Diego for three years.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I have been incredibly lucky to have SOOO many strong, talented, and wise people in my life who have been responsible for so much of my support, skill, and success. That being said, I have had countless struggles as a feminine, queer man, and as a drag queen. My struggles go beyond basic homophobia or bigotry. Within the gay community I’ve often been seen as “too femme”, but surprisingly, the biggest and ultimately most disappointing struggle to overcome (both personally and professionally), has been the adversity I’ve faced from other performers, specifically other drag queens. As artists, it serves us all to be compassionate. As humans, it serves us all to be empathetic. Jealousy runs rampant in all industries and can be the cause of drama, rumors, sabotage, and unkind words. For me, a large struggle came from feeling lost career-wise, and stuck in a rut largely due to the negativity pointed my way both directly, and indirectly. Negativity that I ultimately began to believe about myself and my art. My advice to any young person beginning their journey is this: Act like you belong… and the world is yours. That is my mantra, one I live by every day. No matter what others may think of you, what makes you different is what makes you stand out. It makes you valuable. Believe that you, your business, and your art are worth something… and others will believe it too. It helps to keep your eyes on your own paper. When others are playing checkers, you play chess.
What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I am a performer, educator, and activist. I pride myself on being an actor first, with a focus on musical theatre, which of course is acting, singing, and dancing. I have been a drag performer for three years, striving as Miss Oona Upland to “preserve a dress and decorum of decades past.” Combining vintage glamour with musical theatre performance has been my specialty. I have also had the privilege of working with the non-profit organization Drag Queen Story Hour to promote literacy, acceptance, and tolerance among children. I am the first and only reader and queen. I have gone on to also co-found another story reading at Sisters Pizza in Hillcrest. When I’m not acting as Miss Oona, I work as a private musical theatre coach, with a focus on Broadway dance. Some of my favorite experiences have been opening and hosting Miz Cracker’s show at UCSD, performing at House of Blues with the RAW Artists organization, and playing Bobby in A Chorus Line. Oona is also always available for private events, and will be performing again at House of Blues on October 28th (https://www.rawartists.com/missoonaupland) I’d like to say that what sets me apart from other performers, is a melding of so many different art forms (singing, dancing, acting, makeup, drag, lipsyncing, etc.), as well as using my position to mentor, teach, and advocate for children.
Looking back on your childhood, what experiences do you feel played an important role in shaping the person you grew up to be?
Growing up an only child, I feel put me at an advantage by allowing me the opportunity to get used to being alone. I love my independence, and being my own best friend has helped shield me from a lot of heartache and difficulties both personally and professionally. I am also incredibly fortunate to be close with many grandparents, aunts, and great grandparents. I’ve often said I have more mothers than anyone, as I’ve always had amazingly strong, wise, and artistic women supporting me. Shoutout to my great grandparents for not only introducing me to theatre, music, and art but for continuing to support my pursuit of it. As a kid, I was often left to my own devices, especially when faced with bullies and isolation. This led me to discover books, music, and film. They were my friends, but also my teachers who helped equip me with history, references, and a love of beauty, knowledge, and learning. Also, shoutout to my mentors, academically, and artistically for teaching me to take risks, ask questions, and believe in myself. I went to three different high schools, and the variety, change, and upheaval helped me learn to think fast and adapt, which are traits that have helped me tremendously in my adult life.
Contact Info:
- Email: Missoonaupland@gmail.com
- Instagram: @Missoonaupland & @Charles.oona
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oonaupland
- Other: https://www.rawartists.com/missoonaupland
Image Credit:
Charles McGrath, Samantha Welker
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