NBC News calls him "America's Prince of Pride." Critics around the world have compared him to Andy Warhol and Billy Graham. Outlook Weekly boldly calls him "one of the finest solo theatre artists of the 21st century."
Former choreographer to Latin TV personality Charo and scratch vocalist to the Back Street Boys, stand-up comedian Jade Esteban Estrada was christened the “first gay Latin star” by Out Magazine. The son of a U.S. Army officer, Estrada won a scholarship to the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York and sharpened his knowledge of his chosen profession. Estrada studied dance (alongside Jennifer Lopez) with Slam, the lead dancer from Madonna's Blonde Ambition Tour among other notable teachers of the era.
In 1994, Estrada took home the prize for the Funniest Amateur Comic in New York at Stand-Up New York. He made his living as a choreographer by day (a craft that came very naturally to him) and performed as a singer, dancer, actor, writer and go-go boy by night. His main concern during this period was getting from one show to the next.
Since Estrada's first taste of stand-up, he has appeared on Comedy Central’s The Graham Norton Effect, PBS’s In The Life.
This very funny gentleman focused on one-man shows in 2002 with the debut of his wildly popular one-man show ICONS: The Lesbian and Gay History of the World, Vol. 1 which also toured extensively. His sequel ICONS: The Lesbian and Gay History of the World, Vol. 2 won the 2004 Audience Favorite Award in Solo Performance at the Columbus National Gay and Lesbian Theatre Festival in September 2004 and garnished several other awards. In 2006, he debuted ICONS: The Lesbian and Gay History of the World, Vol. 3 and took home awards for Best Solo Performance and Best Original Music. He is also the man behind the hit Latin show Tortilla Heaven written by his sister Celeste Angela Estrada and directed by his brother David Miguel Estrada.
Estrada's music can be heard on the Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning police drama The Shield on FX. This man with the voice shared the stage with Jennifer Lopez, Madonna, Ricky Martin, Margaret Cho, RuPaul, Jody Watley, and Jimmy Somerville, Cyndi Lauper, Sarah McLachlan and Taylor Dayne and countless other fabulous stars. In 2006, Estrada was commissioned the title of Kentucky Colonel by Kentucky governor Ernie Fletcher for promoting goodwill and fellowship around the world. He joined other honorary colonels including Ronald Reagan, Winston Churchill, Muhammad Ali and Pope John Paul II. |
