Jade Esteban Estrada

Biography

Born to now-divorced parents David Gonzales Estrada and Aurora (née Sanchez) Estrada, Jade Esteban Estrada has four siblings: Celeste, David, Olga and Sara. As a young boy, he participated in extracurricular school activities and sang in the school choir, where he first noticed that his talent captivated audiences. Through the encouragement of his choir instructor he began to take voice lessons and eventually moved to New York where he worked as an assistant to Tony Award-winning Australian actress Zoe Caldwell.

Estrada appeared in the German production of Starlight Express and also worked as a dancer for Seventeen, an American magazine. After two popular appearances as a transgender singer/dancer on The Jerry Springer Show, he won the attention of Charo and worked as her choreographer and lead dancer. He gained international recognition in 1998 when he released his first Latin pop single, Reggae Twist on the Brooklyn-based Total Envision Records label. He later turned his attention to solo theater and stand-up comedy.

In 2008, he hosted the 19th Annual South Florida GLAAD Media Awards on Bravo. During the Obama Administration, he was invited to The White House to attend the State Arrival Ceremony welcoming the President of Mexico, Felipe Calderón and First Lady Margarita Zavala.

The world of talk radio took notice of his growing interest in politics and offered him a frequent seat alongside government officials like former San Antonio mayor Julian Castro. In 2013, Estrada began writing his Glitter Political column for the San Antonio Current.

Burlesque

In 2012, Estrada joined the Jigglewatts Burlesque Revue at the Gibson Guitar Lounge at Maggie Mae's in Austin, Texas. Donning his signature velvet tuxedo and pink feather boa, he went on to emcee burlesque shows for the Ruby Revue (Houston), After Dark Revue (Corpus Christi), Keyhole Cabaret (San Diego), the Scarlet Darlings (San Antonio), the Onyx Theatre (Las Vegas), Black Cherry Burlesque (Tucson) and Monday Night Tease (Hollywood).

As a solo act, he competed in the 2013 Burlympics in Los Angeles. This burlesque alliance led to an acquaintance with 1970s porn star Kitten Natividad. As his boylesque persona, Pretty Boy Rock, Estrada won the titles of 2014 Big Boylesquer (Michigan's 2nd Annual Spring Fling Burlesque Festival), 2014 Beautiful Weirdo (Alterna-TEASE) and the 2015 King of the Great Southern Exposure (5th Annual Great Southern Exposure Burlesque Pageant).

Discography

One-person shows

Awards

In February 2016, Estrada won the title of the 1st Fringe Celebrity Lip Sync Battle Champion at the 2016 Fringe World Festival in Perth, Australia. Later that week, he was crowned the 2016 Fringe World Spin & Bare It Champion (Second Edition) as his striptease persona Pretty Boy Rock.

In December 2014, Estrada (as his burlesque persona Pretty Boy Rock) won the title of 2015 King of the Great Southern Exposure at the 5th Annual Great Southern Exposure Burlesque and Variety Pageant in Charlotte, North Carolina.

In August 2014, Estrada (as his boylesque persona Pretty Boy Rock) won the 2014 Beautiful Weirdo Award at the 3rd Annual TATAS: The Alterna-TEASE Awards Spectacular at the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University.

In April 2014, Estrada won the title of Big Boylesquer 2014 at Michigan's 2nd Annual Spring Fling Burlesque Festival in Detroit, Michigan as his boylesque persona Pretty Boy Rock.

In October 2006, Kentucky governor Ernie Fletcher paid tribute to Estrada by commissioning him the title of Kentucky Colonel, the highest honor awarded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, which acknowledges outstanding ambassadors of goodwill and fellowship around the world. Estrada joined other honorary colonels such as Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan, Bob Hope, Joan Crawford, Mae West, Johnny Depp, Muhammad Ali, and Pope John Paul II. He also received the award for Entertainer of the Year at the Family Tree Rainbow Awards in Tallahassee, Florida.

In September 2006, Estrada received the awards for Best Solo Performance and Best Original Music at the Columbus National Gay and Lesbian Theatre Festival for his solo musical comedy ICONS: The Lesbian and Gay History of the World, Vol. 3.

In September 2005, Estrada received the awards for Performance Artist of the Year and Best Performance of the Year (for the solo show ICONS: The Lesbian and Gay History of the World, Vol. 2) at the Pride in Arts Awards.

In September 2004, Estrada received the award for Audience Favorite in Solo Performance at the Columbus National Gay and Lesbian Theatre Festival for his solo musical comedy ICONS: The Lesbian and Gay History of the World, Vol. 2.

Estrada received the Spirit Award for outstanding entertainment and worldwide visibility in the LGBT community at the Spotlight Awards in Providence, Rhode Island in September 2003.

In October 2002, Estrada received the Premio Estrella at the 9th Annual Encuentro Awards in Miami, Florida for outstanding achievement and recognition in the entertainment industry as an openly gay Latino.

In October 2001, Estrada received the Man of Distinction Award from the Miss Black World Organization.

In May 2000, Estrada received the Spirit Award from Pageantry Magazine.

In 1995, Estrada received the award for Funniest Amateur Comic in New York.

Political involvement

Estrada has supported the U.S. Democratic Party, especially its LGBT programs and initiatives. In 2003, he supported Howard Dean's campaign for U.S. president and supported Barack Obama during the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections. In 2013, he was the emcee and guest speaker for the international grassroots movement March Against Monsanto.