Congratulations to Will Geoghegan, the winner of our LaDuca SPOOK Halloween Costume Contest! While all of the entrants had incredibly fun and creative submissions, our followers LOVED Will’s fierce Frank-N-Furter look complete with a pair of our 2020 LaSale Jackie LaDuca shoes.
Along with scoring an exclusive discount on his next LaDuca purchase, we couldn’t wait to feature Will (and his drag persona, Willa Mania!) here on Life in LaDucas:
LS: Why did you decide to order the Jackie’s at this year’s LaSale?
WG: After watching Jackie Cox on RuPaul’s Drag Race season 12, I was beyond thrilled to learn LaDuca created a commemorative edition shoe for her. Something I aspire to one day!
LS: What do you love about the Jackie shoes?
WG: When I saw the Jackie’s, I knew I had to have them. The colors and the platform sold me (aka I’m short).
LS: What inspired your Halloween costume this year?
WG: I was inspired by “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and wanted to create a glam Frank-N-Furter look to match my Jackie’s. I went with a red palette after RHPS live starring Laverne Cox.
LS: How long have you been doing drag?
WG: This is my first year in drag. After doing “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” a few years back, I knew I wanted to revisit and expand on learning more about drag. During the downtime caused by the pandemic, I have been learning to style wigs, create costumes, and explore makeup.
LS: What inspired your persona, Willa Mania?
WG: Willa Mania comes from the rousing opening number of “The Will Rogers Follies,” choreographed and directed by legend Tommy Tune. My friend played me the jaw-dropping, 15-minute opening number, and the rest is history. You can find my 5-minute version of “Will-a-Mania” on my IGTV/YouTube where I created all costumes and wigs involved and edited by my wonderful sister in UK, Titty Kaka.
LS: How has COVID impacted your performing career? Can we see you perform online or on social media?
WG: COVID definitely put a dent in my career, as I’m sure it did for a lot of people. Having my next contract be placed on hold, I started to casually work on projects here and there from styling wigs to stoning shoes and learning choreography in my living room to shooting full-length productions with the help of many of my friends, socially-distanced of course.
I began my own drag account, @willamania_ where I’ve been recreating infamous Broadway dance numbers in drag. Most of the videos and looks are also on @willtgeoghegan and YouTube. Much more to come!
LS: Are you taking online dance classes right now? We’d love to know what teachers you’re taking!
WG: I’ve taken mostly virtual ballet classes to keep up technique, from Norwegian National Ballet to jazz classes with Josh Bergasse. Some of my favorite teachers are Randy Skinner, Kate Loh, Billy Blanken, Nick Kenkel, and Richard Stafford.
Thank you so much to everyone who voted for me! There were so many amazing costumes. I truly loved seeing everyone’s Laduca-themed Halloween. #laducaspook
Life in LaDucas 