GUY Magazine Issue #5 : "Madonna, The Virtual History Tour" (The uncut interview)

This interview took place in 2021 November 11, in the Madonna Office, for "GUY Magazine", by Teddy Toocool, CEO, and Mardrakus Hekatos, CEO and Chief Editor. Here is the uncut interview.

GUY Magazine©

After this interview, the show planned to benefit "Feed a Smile" took place in December 2021.

MADONNA (Sasha00 Laryukov): Welcome Mardrakus!! Very nice to meet you (Smile)

Mardrakus Hekatos : So good to see you too!

Sasha : Take a seat! (Smile)

Mardrakus Hekatos : I am inviting the magazine owner also to sit in.

Sasha : Hello Teddy! Very nice to meet you!

Teddy Toocool: Hello ! Pleasure to meet you also.

Sasha : And thank you very much for inviting me in your magazine! I'm honored!

Mardrakus Hekatos : So please tell us about the tour.  How did it come about?  How long ago?

Sasha : I started in 2009. I had been a Madonna fan for years, and I wanted to make a tribute show. It was not easy back then. It was hard to create a show with dances, etc., so I was just doing two songs each Saturday in night clubs. Then, I started to find dancers and motivated people. We got more and more ideas, and that's how it started.

Mardrakus Hekatos : So why Madonna? What draws you to her and what inspires you about her?

Sasha : Well, I grew up with her music, and back then in the 80s, she was seen as a rebel, and I was a rebel "under parental control". Madonna was like a role model to me. Her music was giving me strength when society was against me ! (laugh)

Mardrakus Hekatos : Did the tour have a venue in world?  Or has it always been available through youtube?  Where else can people view it? Can you share with me the latest link?

Sasha : So to answer in order, we have a huge stage (that I can show you after). In the past, we were moving around to where Sim owners wanted a show, then it became difficult to move the stage, because of prims amount, scripts, etc, we decided to have the stage staying on my Sims : the stage on a Sim, and audience on the other Sim, so we are less in troubles because of audience scripts.

The videos arrived later, just because some people started to record during the shows, and a friend, Boris Twist, wanted to make a few videos.

I can give you three links, one presenting the show, and another showing a bit what we did. This second video was made when I decided to take a break

 

Our latest video Filmed and Produced by : STEPH HEARTSONG PRODUCTIONS :

 

Mardrakus Hekatos : Has the show been the same since it was first created in  2009?  Or have there been different versions or changes?  

Sasha : Oh the show changed all the time!! For example, we have about 5 different versions of "Vogue", three of " Frozen ", etc.. Each time we try to create something new about the songs we want to keep in the show. For example, " Like a prayer " is a classic, so we keep it in the show, but remixed differently, and with different sets and outfits. It's same with " Into the groove ", I've created last year a futuristic version of that song, let me show you the link.

Sasha : Let me get back to the previous questions!

Mardrakus Hekatos : How many dancers have been involved with the production?  

Sasha : We have right now about 8 dancers* ; we had about 15 dancers two years ago.

*(10 in fact since the interview)

Mardrakus Hekatos : Have you been the soul choreographer and outfit creator?

Sasha : About choreography, I started to do it alone in the early 2010s, but it quickly became hard to run all the huddles. Then, I met someone who became my best friend despite geographical distance (him in USA and me in France), JaredWV Resident.

I made more choreographies, then I was giving him the notecards, and he was running half of the choreographies on stage. Then he started to create choreographies too, this way the works was easier for me, and we could mix our both creativity. Jared was the best motivation machine in the show! Sadly, he passed away brutally in 2018.

 

We were planning some holiday together, as he wanted to come to France to research a book he was writing, when he had a heart attack. After that, it became very hard for me to return to the stage. His death had been devastating for everybody, he had so many friends, and he was a truly amazing person and soul. We did only one show in 2018 to pay him a tribute, then I decided to take a break because to be on stage without him was too difficult emotionally. We worked together for about eight years long ... no, six, but we met in 2010 I think.

Mardrakus Hekatos : I am so sorry to hear about your loss.  If you met in 2010 and he passed away in 2018, wasn't it 8?

Sasha : Yes, but he didn't join the show when we met, he was busy roleplaying back then.

Mardrakus Hekatos : Ah ok. Understood.

 

Sasha : About costumes, I used to make them by myself, but now I've got the help of .. let me spell right his name! Or he'd kill me and he'd be right (laugh).. Robbie Ravenhurst!  He has created so many amazing outfits for the dancers.

Next question? Or did I forget to answer one?

Mardrakus Hekatos : So Jared helped with the choreography for six years, up until his death, and you only did one show in 2018 as a tribute to him.  How often is the show/tour held typically?

Sasha : We did another show in 2019 with only the songs I could run alone plus two songs that a dancer (Astanias Resident) quickly learned to run by buying the animations and getting the note cards that I gave him. In the previous years, we were doing usually 4 or 5 shows each year except 2017 when I think we did 11 shows. We did many to raise funds for "Feed a Smile" and for "American Friends of Rainbow Railroad". Since the beginning, Jared and I were very concerned about Chechen LGBT. So, we did few 4 hours shows for those causes plus the Halloween show and the Christmas show that we were doing each year.

 

Mardrakus Hekatos : Chechen? Why Friends of Rainbow ?  Can you elaborate on those?  

Sasha : Well, I've always been LGBT activist in real life, and it started with the movement To Russia With Love. I think it was in 2013 that there were so many terrible actions in Russia against LGBT. We started to talk about that during the shows and asking people to sign petitions, etc., so Jared and I were close to some LGBT movements in Russia, and at the end of 2016, we were alarmed very early about the LGBT kidnapping in Chechnya, three months before media started to talk about it. That's why we tried to do what we could do with our small means to help.

 

 

 

Mardrakus Hekatos : So are you as popular as Madonna in Second Life among gay men as Madonna is in real life? Do you have any idea how many people have attended or viewed your shows?  How many people are in the group here in Second Life?

Sasha : About gay men - Well, yes I think I'm popular! (laugh) But it's complicated to me in fact, I mean, I'm not Madonna, I share her ideas, her temper sometimes, but behind my Madonna avatar there is also someone hiding! And people prefer when I act like Madonna, to keep the dream alive, you know what I mean? People want to dream, and I try to make them dream. About viewers, it's hard to say. With time, we saw new people coming and leaving Second Life..

Mardrakus Hekatos : Taking on the persona to help inspire others and be a part of the dream OR taking on the persona to help inspire others and to dream ?

Sasha : Yes (smile). (Pause) The audience changed also with years. The new generation is very different toward Madonna.

Mardrakus Hekatos : How so?

Sasha : Well, Madonna changed a lot, she kept reinventing herself, but those last years, we could see how people really act like ageists. Madonna is told she is too old and should retire, she is mocked because of aesthetic surgery. People, especially the young generation, are very very hard with her, and I noticed that in Second Life too!

I saw people coming at show, acting like trolls.. At some tribute to Michael Jackson, I went there, and someone in audience told me in private message "Madonna, you're too old, you should retire!", that really hurts in many ways..

Mardrakus Hekatos : That's terrible!

Sasha : Yes very. First, it hurts because I'm younger than Madonna but I'm not 30s anymore, so I feel attacked myself on my age, then, I feel attacked because I like Madonna, and she is not respected anymore for all the humanist actions she does, but she is targeted only because of her age and her physic, that's also sexism! Nobody told the Rolling Stones "you're 70s!! Get off that stage and retire!"

 

Madonna Inaugurates the Hospital she built for Children in Malawi :

 

 Mardrakus Hekatos : I doubt this generation will ever produce a star with a fraction of her talent, ambition or success.  It is sexist, male rock stars are not treated the same way.

Sasha : Exactly! I totally agree!

You know what is wonderful when we are above 50? we KNEW and SAW the 80s!

Mardrakus Hekatos : I say that all the time. The 80s was the last great decade for music.

Sasha : Omg yes!! And we were full of hope and dreams! the world was colorful !

Mardrakus Hekatos : Everything else afterward was just driven by making money and pseudo-talented people who just wanted to get rich or were packaged by companies as cliché images.

Sasha : Exactly!! Afterward, there was not the same creativity. All was ruled by money. There are so many great artists everywhere, but they can't express themselves because the music industry prefers to put in front those who already bring money.

Mardrakus Hekatos : In the 80s, music became big business but there were so many talented people who had the creativity to back it up... not so after that.

Sasha : Yes!

Mardrakus Hekatos : You do Halloween and Xmas shows each year, are there any other standard annual shows?

Sasha : The Halloween show we didn't do since Jared is gone. We tried to continue the Christmas show. . We'll do it this year to raise funds for Feed a Smile. We don't really have regular show now. Many years ago, we used to do Second Pride. We also did a particular show (Laugh). You'll laugh! Madonna vs Disney! And it worked!! We were asked to redo it! I didn't imagine United States people were so into Disney!

  

Mardrakus Hekatos : Do you think Second Life in particular helped you to tap into the creativity and flexibility to capture Madonna's ability to reinvent herself?

Sasha : Yes, I think so, but what is funny is the way I started to really think like Madonna. For example, we did a song on stage, "Masterpiece," and until then, we were creating the sets inspired by the videos, but there was no existing video for this song, so we made a set inspirated from the "Birth of Venus." I was appearing as the naked Venus, and few months later, Madonna posted a photo of the "Birth of Venus" saying that she loves that painting and would like to include it in some of her work!

 

 Sasha : Another time, for the Disney show, I was wearing the yellow gown of the princess Belle, from "Beauty and the Beast," and many months later, for a masked ball, Madonna was wearing that gown! (laugh)

 

Teddy Toocool: (laugh)

Mardrakus Hekatos : Do you have a favorite Madonna song or stage performance that was create for the tour? And why?

Sasha : Uhmmmm.... That's very hard to answer!

Mardrakus Hekatos : Yeah, I ask hard questions sometimes.  (grin)

Sasha : (Laugh and wink) I see that! I think one of my favs is "La Isla Bonita", I love that song, and it was one of the first I created for the show.

I like also the latest version of "Vogue" we do, very futuristic. And "Living for love", because it's a message! "Revolution of Love is on"!

 

Mardrakus Hekatos : So why "La Isla Bonita"? What about it makes it your fave?

Sasha : I was 16 when I listened it for the very first time.. Don't get my age because of the info! (laugh) .I was with my boyfriend, and he bought the "True Blue" LP. We sat on his bed, and we started to listen to it. When "La Isla Bonita" started, I fell in love for this music and said "This song will be a huge hit if she makes it as single". Madonna did and it was a hit! And the video was amazing!

Mardrakus Hekatos : Yes the red polka dotted dress was stunning.

(Sasha changes into the Madonna of "La Isla Bonita")

 

Teddy Toocool: Wow

Mardrakus Hekatos : Wow

Teddy Toocool: It is amazing how much your avi looks like her.

Mardrakus Hekatos : Truly

Mardrakus Hekatos : So when is your next show?  Did I hear you were putting together a new tour in December??

Sasha : Yes, in fact about 2 weeks ago, I decided it was time to do something, and I contacted "Feed a Smile". I asked Brique Topaz, who is at the head of this organization, if she had a spot available for a show. Almost each day, live singers are performing there to raise funds. She told me yes, and we decided on the date, Sunday, December 19 at 1PM SLT. It will be a 2-hour show, so probably more than 2 and half hours.

So i'm back to work, redoing the choreography that Jared did, because I don't have the original animations that he used, and I'm asking a dancer to run the choreography once it is ready.

 

 

Mardrakus Hekatos : Are there any other charities or causes that the tour has helped support?

Sasha : Trevor Project, Breast Cancer, so many in fact! (laugh)

Teddy Toocool: Very kind of you to do..

Sasha : We decided with the dancers now we'll do only shows for charity.

Mardrakus Hekatos : So you ONLY do charity shows now?

Sasha : Yes, for about 5 years now.

Mardrakus Hekatos : So please tell me what other charities you have helped support.

Sasha : Outreach for Life, some at SecondPride but I don't remember for which organisations it was back then. There was one also about men health, but I don't remember the name..

Teddy Toocool : Do you know of any plans for times and dates after the first of the year, as we would include them in the article.

Sasha : Unfortunately no, I am reworking entirely the show. I now use new tools to rez sets, but I'll also use new tools to move and anime the dancers. I must learn all part, and in English it's not easy. (laugh)

Mardrakus Hekatos : I can imagine!

Is there anything else you would like to add or share about the tour and your experience with it?

Sasha : Uhmmmm... Let me think...

Sasha : Well, the show allowed my gang, as I call it, to create a family. I'll give you in a note card the names of the dancers.

Mardrakus Hekatos : Yes, that would be great

Sasha : Because of COVID, things got very hard, and we have had to do different things each in our own way. We are still very close to each others.

Mardrakus Hekatos : (Looking at a ticket stub pinned on a poster) Those are nice.

Sasha : It's just for the posters (smile). After the show, in the following days, I send a message to thank each donator, and I send a poster like those. It's the "I WAS THERE" poster !! (laugh)

Mardrakus Hekatos : I would like to see the stage. Could we also get some of the posters?  Those are really great

Sasha : Yes ok!

Teddy Toocool : You are very creative indeed, and this we celebrate and want to give exposure to...

Sasha : That's really really nice of you!! I'm really honored and glad!!

Teddy Toocool: Sorry, I guess Drake would like to see the stage my mistake... (Wink)

Sasha : Ah, there is something you may mention in the article about the songs. Many of those we use are my own remixes. To remix is one of my passions in life.

Mardrakus Hekatos : How would you describe your channeling Madonna here in here in Second Life?  Impersonator? Taking on the persona?

Sasha : Uhmmmm.....

Mardrakus Hekatos : Tribute artist?

Sasha : I'm used to say "the SL Madonna" (laugh)

Mardrakus Hekatos : I like tribute artist.  How do you feel about that?

Sasha : Yes that works!

Mardrakus Hekatos : Was there anything else you wanted to add before we look at the stage?

Sasha : Let me think quickly.. (pause)

I'd like to mention the animations creator PARAGON. This guy is truly amazing and really nice. His animations are fantastic:  ̶̶̶̶ۣJohnny (JNakagawa Resident), we talked recently few times, and we plan to work together. He is ready to create some Madonna animations, but we must check first if the choreographies are copyrighted or not.

Mardrakus Hekatos : Make sense. 

Mardrakus Hekatos : Did you design the theater yourself?

Sasha : Yes

Mardrakus Hekatos : How many different Madonna outfits do you have?  Just out of curiosity?

Sasha : Uhmmm well.. Knowing we have about 50 songs now... Probably close to 50 outfits ! (laugh)

Teddy Toocool : I would love to have some single pics of you in your outfits if possible?

Sasha : Yes sure, you can take the photos?

Teddy Toocool : Sure . You are a incredible individual...

Teddy Toocool : just saying ;-0

Sasha : (blushes hard)

Teddy Toocool: Rare you actually get to meet and speak with someone like yourself...

Teddy Toocool: So we thank you so much

Sasha : Wow!! I 'm very flattered!!

Teddy Toocool: Just the truth is all  (Wink)

Mardrakus Hekatos : Thank you so much!  You are an amazing person.

Sasha : Thank you so much!!!

 

 MADONNA : The Virtual History Tour Gang :

Choreographer and dancer : Madonna - Sasha Laryukov

Choreographer and dancer : The late Jared Augustus-Gracemount

Manager and dancer : Stephano del Piero

Dancers:

Krystal Kleinman

Helene Dragoone

Astanias

Robbie Ravenhurst

Noah A. Munro

i0n Cloud

Ludo Delicioso

Ρετεr Claven-Darling

Prince Claven-Darling

RickJ Ewing

Gabryel Lamplight
Kassiel 

Krathos

Palix Beaumont

1Nasram Simsider

Phil Ronzoni

Jimmy Augustus

DJ during many years : Dmitriy Gausman