On his ninth birthday Jade Esteban Estrada snuck away from the other

children and returned as a "scruffy" Marie Antoinette, declaring, "Let them eat cake!"

     Even back in 1984 it was clear - Estrada had a penchant for history and entertainment.

     "I don't think what I did back then in my Marie Antoinette outfit is much different from what I do on stage today," said Estrada, who is now 31. "I'm just a little bit more grown up, and I've got better costumes."

     Students and faculty will get the chance to see many of his costumes when he performs his show "ICONS: The Lesbian and Gay History of the World, Vol. 2" on Friday at 9 p.m. in Room 308 in the Bowen-Thompson Student Union as an end to the Coming Out Week events.

     As the second installment of the award-winning "ICONS" trilogy, this one-man musical comedy has Estrada singing and dancing as Alexander the Great, Queen Christina of Sweden, Susan B. Anthony, Harvey Milk, Billie Jean King and 9/11 hero Mark Bingham - all significant figures in queer history.

     Last October Estrada performed the first volume of "ICONS" at the University, and many are looking forward to his return.

     "Jade's performance last year was spectacular," said Nicky Damania, director of the University's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Ally, Queer/Questioning Resource Center. "His pieces were very well designed and performed, and he made the icons come alive with sprit and energy."

     "He portrays historical figures in a way that is interesting and personable to everyone, not just the LGBT community," said sophomore Martin Rosales, an intern at the resource center.

     Students aren't the only ones to praise Estrada's work. The "ICONS" trilogy, which began in 2002, has garnered Estrada several awards, and he has been hailed by the media as one of today's best solo entertainers.

     But his work isn't just about entertaining the public; Estrada also seeks to educate his audiences through his performances, as he believes there is a lot of queer history that has gone untold.

     "I want the students of BGSU to question me and their textbooks, always keeping in mind that history is written by the ones who won the war," said Estrada.

     But Estrada's shows are a far cry from a typical history lesson, as his icons share their stories by singing, dancing and interacting with the audience, creating "a balance of both comedy and history."

     "When you tell a story you must employ all sorts of stuff," Estrada said.

     Because of both his personal background and extensive experience in show business Estrada has an arsenal of talents to employ for his performances.

     As a child he had a lot of time to himself which stimulated creativity and helped spark his imagination, Estrada said.

     This led him to work as an actor, singer, comedian, dancer and choreographer. He became a Latin pop-singing sensation in 1998 with his breakout hit "Reggae Twist," and he has appeared on "The Graham Norton Effect" on Comedy Central. Throughout the years Estrada has received countless honors for his work in the entertainment industry.

     "The more one continues on a path that feels right for them, the more one discovers who they are," Estrada said. "I found myself and my particular talents only by staying in the area of my chosen field - music and comedy."

     His primary talent, however, lies in his ability to transform himself into other characters, Estrada said. And this is exactly what he gets to do in the "ICONS" shows.

     "I had always dreamed of stepping into the shoes of great leaders just to see what it felt like," Estrada said.

     Queen Christina of Sweden is one of his favorite leaders whom he portrays.

     "Who doesn't want to run around in a hoop skirt?" Estrada asked jokingly.

©2006 Bowling Green News