Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, as the saying goes.
So what do you call it when someone takes it to the next level and impersonates a star?
“Obsession,” Kat Fullerton said laughing about why she brings Marilyn to life during her Legends Live! shows.
Fullerton, born and raised in Prince George, went to Mount Royal University in Calgary when it was still a college some 20 years ago and focused on musical theatre because she knew what she wanted to do.
Finding her way since then as a triple-threat musical theatre and dinner theatre entertainer Fullerton said she’s been doing her Mostly Marilyn impersonation for about eight years.
Now that Fullerton’s looking after her mom, she’s home to stay and that got her thinking about the future.
“Well, nobody is going to open a dinner theatre here in Prince George – nobody is going to put these shows on for me,” Fullerton said. “So I guess I better do it. All I want to do is put on shows with my talented friends. That’s the dream – I don’t want a “real job.”
She has found a home for her shows at the Underground Show Lounge in downtown Prince George and at Om Pizza Bar Café, across from CN Centre.
“Lily Duff is playing Adele here and it’s worth the ticket price just to see her be Adele,” Fullerton said. “She is absolutely incredible. She’s flying in from Calgary to do the shows and she’s from London originally so she is British.”
During Legends Live! The Diva Show audience members will see Fullerton as Almost Marilyn, along with Lily Duff as Authentically Adele and two talented local performers Audrey Layne as Basically Britney and Julie MacQueen as Likely Gaga.
“There’s so much talent in this city, it’s unbelievable,” Fullerton said. “I went to the celebrity impersonators convention in Florida in September and there’s between 60 and 75 celebrity impersonators all in one room and I’m watching everyone do their showcases and the whole time I was there I was like ‘I wish my guys were here right now to be on that stage to show them how good they really are’. They don’t understand how talented they are. They measure up with people on that stage who have been doing it their whole lives and I’m so proud of them.”
The Legends Live! The Diva Show is a tribute to the world’s greatest musical stars.
“Incredible impersonators, fantastic costumes, amazing live vocals and it’s called Legends Live because everyone sings live, there’s no lip-syncing,” Fullerton said.
“One day the dream would be to do it with a live band but right now we sing with tracks. We put so much time into the costumes and wigs and developing the characters and mannerisms that go into celebrity impersonating and it’s a very under rated art form in my opinion and very misunderstood.”
Fullerton is a very good mimic and she learned she could do a good impression of Marilyn early on.
“That evolved into a full-on impersonation and it went on from there,” Fullerton explained.
And don’t think you can insult Marilyn to Fullerton’s face.
“In order to impersonate someone you have to be a little bit obsessed with them and my impersonation is always rooted in respect,” she said.
“I would never say or do anything that Marilyn wouldn’t say or do. I’m not there to poke fun and I’m more of a myth buster than anything. Some people come up to me and say horrible things about Marilyn and I would put on my little glasses and say ‘well, actually, that’s not true,’” Fullerton said in a Lily Tomlin as Ernestine nasally voice.
Fullerton said she has a library of books and materials on Marilyn.
“So I have a PhD in Marilyn,” Fullerton laughed. “It has to be rooted in respect, love and admiration and it goes from there. When it’s done right impersonation is the coolest art from and when it’s done wrong it’s so cringey.”
Legends Live! The Diva Show goes Friday, Nov. 29 and Saturday, Nov. 30 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. at Om Pizza Bar Café, 1970 Ospika Blvd. S. Once tickets are purchased for the Om show be sure to make a reservation by calling 250-562-9888. Seating starts at 6 p.m., show starts at 7 p.m. All show tickets are $30 on Eventbrite or $40 at the door (cash only). Suitable for all ages. Eventbrite tickets are at www.eventbrite.ca/thedivashow.
