TheColu.mn’s Spotlight on the Arts features artists and organizations that have had an impact on the arts in Minnesota. If you are an artist or arts organization and would like to be profiled in our Spotlight, simply fill out our introductory form.

This week’s Spotlight on the Arts features Tony Anderson aka Jamie Monroe, a drag personality who performs at the Townhouse Bar and the Brass Rail, among many other venues. This week’s featured artist was recently the focus of a mini-documentary which is featured as part of Atlantic Magazine’s curated short film collection.

Here’s the film synopsis:

In this short documentary, director Tony Franklin profiles a drag queen as he prepares for a night of performances in the Twin Cities. While slipping into his Dolly Parton-inspired persona, he considers questions of identity, masculinity, and performance. “What does make a man a man? It’s certainly not just a penis that makes a man a man,” he says. “It’s about just being you. Whatever that means.”

(Additional credits: Alex Horner, director of photography/editor/color; Joey Verskotzi, music composition; Bryan Hanna, sound mix; Brian Suerth, assistant camera; Nick Leisenheimer, Patrick Schaefer, and Nick Mihalevich, production sound.)

Normally, Spotlight on the Arts contains an interview between the artist and TheColu.mn, but this moving video speaks for itself: