Miss Conception Celebrates Pride in Puerto Vallarta
Kevin Levesque, born in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, has been a drag queen for 25 years and celebrated that silver anniversary in 2025. For years, he was the opening act for The Palm Cabaret after their summer hiatus. This season, however, for the first time ever, Miss Conception, Kevin’s drag creation, stayed in town to celebrate Gay Pride.
She donned a single costume for the Gay Parade and rode with PVRPV, real estate and vacation rental pros, that have been her sponsors for years. Isel Celis, Miss Conception’s dresser, rode beside and helped dispense Pride goodies. I have a couple of heart-shaped rainbow balls that don’t roll worth a damn, but my cat Bogie loves and chases them anyway!
The show was jammed to the rafters by people who cannot get enough of Kevin’s fun, irreverent, and never-negative energy. The show, Loud and Proud, was a mash-up of bits and pieces of Kevin’s favorite productions from the past.
If you have been to a Miss Conception performance, you know a table on stage will be buried under wigs and accessories. Part of Kevin’s magic is that he does all his costume changes – this year 25 of them! to celebrate his anniversary – before your eyes. What that requires is a master clothing designer who can build these costumes to fit one atop another, allow for movement, and not fly apart at the seams when Miss Conception opts to do a cartwheel mid-song! That giant of a man, Jose Luis Casillas, was in the audience next to Manolo Becker, who created extraordinary accessories like Miss Conception’s glittery dance shoes and so much more. My favorite costume is that of Jessica Rabbit, whose voluptuous-ness front and back contains a bale of foam rubber barely encased in sequins. It is a triumph.
Throughout his scripted show, Kevin greets his friends in the audience, mentions their businesses, and thanks individuals and companies that have had a bearing on his career. Kevin’s memory for names is formidable and underlies his success. He is always honest even when he is disguised onstage. His kindness is as boundless and caring as his talent grows and morphs every year.
Kevin married the love of his life, Kieran Thomas, here in Vallarta in March. In 2050, they can celebrate their silver wedding anniversary, and my guess is a cartwheel or two from Kevin celebrating 50 years as Canada’s Sweetheart, Miss Conception.
At the end of Loud and Proud at The Palm Cabaret, Kevin removed his wig, scrubbed the makeup off his face, changed his clothes onstage for the last time this season, and said his goodnights to a standing ovation of adoring fans. See you in the Fall!