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Live from the 17th Annual “Xena: Warrior Princess” Convention

(NOTE: Updated with Saturday images and info starting on page 3, Sunday images and info starting on page 5.)

It seems the Warrior Princess will never die (good news to those of us who still haven’t gotten over the series finale). This was supposed to be the last year the Annual Xena: Warrior Princess Convention would be held, but fan outcry caused its organizers to relent, and it’s official: there will be a Xena Con 2013. After that, who knows?

Stars Lucy Lawless (Xena) and Renee O’Connor (Gabrielle) are appearing this weekend, along with fan favorites Hudson Leick (Callisto), Adrienne Wilkinson (Eve/Livia), writer/producer Steven Sears, writer Katherine Fugate (Army Wives, Valentine’s Day, The Prince and Me), Claire Stansfield (Alti), Jacqueline Kim (Lao Ma), Brittney Powell (Brunhilda), and more. AfterEllen.com photographer KT Jorgensen is wielding her cameras on our behalf, as she has for the last four years (All images used with permission. Copyright 2012 by KT Jorgensen. All rights are reserved).

Sears was not only a writer and producer for the show, he’s probably the biggest Xena/Gabrielle shipper who ever lived. He led things off with his dog, Julian, in his lap, thus ensuring that all lesbians everywhere will love him forever. Smart guy. Cute dog.

Adrienne Wilkinson, who could not look less like Xena’s daughter Eve/Livia, was up next. She showed a clip from Venice: The Series in which she plays Adrienne, and talked about her recently wrapped film The American Failure. She thanked the audience for being part of her life and enriching it.

David Franklin (Brutus), film editor Rob Field, and Ted Raimi (Joxer) came next, and then the sex-on-heels roller coaster ride that is a Hudson Leick (Callisto) con appearance.

There are two Hudsons: The gentle, thoughtful one who teaches yoga, and the unpredictable and crazy woman who usually shows up on stage. (Neither puts the “hot” in “psychotic” like Callisto, for which we should all give thanks.) This year, both showed up.

She first appeared wearing a white Grecian gown and taupe patent platform peep-toe pumps:

The crowd was very appreciative of the look, and Hudson pouted that “Sadly, no one owns a toaster in my name.” Apparently she wanted to be recruited. I can’t believe no one ever tried. Oh, Xena fandom, how you disappoint me.

As has become a con tradition, Hudson auctioned the dress off. but first, a wardrobe change:

“This show has given us so much,” she told the audience. “Where else do I get to wear clothes like this and be an ass on stage?”

Of course, a new outfit meant new shoes:

She talked a bit about William Shatner (Star Trek), who is doing a documentary about the Xena fandom. She said she described the fandom to him as “round, with soft hearts.” Awwww.

When she was about to start the auction, someone called out, asking if the shoes were included. “Oh, hell, no,” Hudson said. “I love those shoes.”

The winner of the auction paid $1,600 for the dress, which she’s going to wear to get married in. I’m not sure wearing Callisto’s dress to one’s wedding is exactly wise, but it was for a good cause (the Desi Geestmant Foundation for children with cancer).

After that, the crowd got the serious Hudson we rarely see on stage. “Before I leave, I want to tell you how grateful I am for each and every one of you. If this is the last convention, I will miss you all.”

That was Friday… Saturday updates will be up later, so check back soon! But first, a scoop: On Saturday, Katherine Fugate presented a short play featuring Renee O’Connor, Crystal Chappell (Venice: The Series, Guiding Light, One Life to Live, Days of our Lives), Claudia Black (Far Scape), Beverly d’Angelo (SVU, Cougar Town, Entourage), Tim Omundson (Eli), David Franklin, Brigid Brannagh (Army Wives), and members of the audience.

Saturday updates start on page 3…

Katherine Fugate authored one of the most beloved of all XWP episodes, “When Fates Collide,” which some fans hold to be the true series finale. (I lean in that direction myself and rarely watch beyond it, so you can take my editorializing as just that.)

This year, she wrote and presented a live play starring Renee along with Xena cast members and convention faves like Crystal Chappell.

After lunch, Jacqueline Kim, who played Xena’s mentor, Lao Ma. She’s working on a new CD and like last year, sang for the audience.

Fans had, of course, lots of questions about the underwater kiss between Kim’s character, Lao Ma, and Xena. She said Lucy is a hard worker and great example, and that during the scene she told her not to worry about opening her eyes in gnarly, dirty water: “Just put your head in the water and I will find your mouth.”

Brittney Powell, who played Brunhilda, took the stage next for another Xena Con annual tradition: The bra auction to support kids with cancer.

Working for charitable causes is one of the hallmarks of the Xena fandom, and over the years, these conventions have raised more than $12 million. The bra Powell auctioned off last year is in the UK, and gets sent around for photo-fundraising even more money for pediatric cancer.

The bidding turned into what KT called “absolute pandemonium,” with a New Orleans bidder going against a British bidder. New Orleans won with a bid of more than $3,500, and the UK bidder got a “runner up” bra with a bid of $2,400. Apparently the winning bid was augmented by a single large check from a cancer specialist who was at her very first convention.

Claire Stansfield and Tim Omundson, who played uber-villian Alti and Christ-clone Eli, respectively, did a joint stage appearance first as themselves and then as their characters. Tim offered up a theory that Claire was not really acting at all, and Claire suggested Eli was just Tim on heavy meds. 

A fan asked Claire what she’d like to hear God say when she gets to heaven, and she replied, “You’ve got to be f&%#ing kidding me.”

Sunday report — including Lucy Lawless and Renee O’Connor’s appearances — on the next page!

On Sunday, Renee O’Connor made the day for a bunch of her fans by posing for photos in costume:

One more:

Then we’re behind the scenes, where William Shatner prepares to interview Renee and Lucy Lawless for the documentary he’s making on the Xena fandom:

Interviewing Renee:

Lucy Lawless in the Green Room:

Renee and Lucy backstage:

Renee on stage:

Lucy on stage:

Lucy signing the vest of a service dog-in-training — and yes, his trainer gets to keep the autographed vest when he graduates.

And the moment we’ve all been waiting for: Lucy and Renee together on stage:

They perform Katherine Fugate’s play from the day before…

…wherein Gabrielle proposes to Xena, and Xena says “yes.” (And now we can all say that Xena and Gabrielle kissed before Brittana did.)

And we all lived happily ever after. The end.

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