Tonight Cardiff will witness a global superstar brought to life on stage, in the biggest show yet from the Dinas Powys mum who transforms herself into Lady Gaga for a living. Dave Owens investigated
DONNA Marie Trego lives a double life. By day she is a married mum of one – but by night she transforms herself into a meticulously dressed homage to superstar Lady Gaga.
Tonight she'll have a little taste of the pop superstar's fame when she steps out on the stage at St David's Hall to perform the biggest concert of her life.
However, unlike the American icon who rehearses for her huge tours at state-of-the-art facilities, when we speak Donna is holed away in the Albion Club in Grangetown, Cardiff putting the finishing touches to rehearsals for the premiere of her most ambitious performance yet.
"In my mind it's the biggest and best Lady Gaga tribute show that's around," says the 35-year-old.
"We've spent thousands of pounds making it the best we can."
As far as tribute acts are concerned, she's certainly pushed the boat out.
"We've got 11 dancers, video screens, pyrotechnics, 15 costume changes, and much more."
And so keen is Donna's attention to detail that she even advertises herself as "the only tribute in the world to have a genuine working spark bra".
"Yes, it wouldn't be my show without the spark bra," she laughs.
"The whole production is pretty good anyway but this time we had a lot of ideas and we wanted to put it on the level of a proper theatre tour.
"When people see the quality of this show they will be amazed. We've raised the bar for tribute acts.
"In the UK there are around 40 Lady Gaga tributes, but most of them won't go to the lengths that I do," she adds.
"Just as Lady Gaga herself goes that extra mile in flamboyant costumes then so do I."
Donna has been working for the past 18 months as a tribute to the Poker Face star, who recently released her latest album Born This Way.
As well as watching Gaga's every move, the Dinas Powys mum has to spend hours creating zany costumes to match the hit singer's vast array of outfits, with the help of friend and costume designer James Maciver.
"I love Lady Gaga's creativity and wackiness," she says. "Just when you think she can't step up, she does. She has no limits, she's daring and you always expect her to come out with something bigger and better which she does. She is a clever, clever woman."
People might reckon that Donna showed a similar amount of intelligence when spotting an opening as a Lady Gaga impersonator.
"I've sung for the last 18 years and for the last year I've worked in WOW bar in Cardiff," she says, explaining how she first became Gaga.
"We started having themed nights so when Lady Gaga was in town we decided to have a night in tribute to her.
"I didn't have enough time to rehearse so we got a tribute act to come and while I was watching her, I just thought, 'I could do that.'
"I didn't think my husband would be too keen on me travelling round the country as Lady Gaga, but then he came over to me during the evening and said, 'You could do that!' So I slept on it and then the next morning I rang James, and it went from there.
"James and I work really closely together and he is amazing. I'll e-mail him with an idea then we'll sit down with a cup of tea. We are constantly updating the costumes and the show and they are all replicas of the House of Gaga outfits.
"I try and source all the props and wigs myself and then James helps create some amazing costumes."
Despite the singer's notoriously risque antics, Donna reveals her six-year-old daughter Cyan has become a huge fan.
"Cyan's favourite song is Telephone and she is absolutely obsessed with Lady Gaga. I've even performed at her school after she volunteered me to the headteacher!
"My husband Nigel is really supportive too and often helps out with sound and the website and my sister is my dresser so the Donna Marie, Lady Gaga Tribute and Impersonator is a real family affair."
All those family members will be out in force tonight when she takes to the stage at St David's Hall.
"It's getting bigger all the time," she enthuses. "I still can't believe I'm about to play St David's Hall, I'll only believe it when I walk off stage and think to myself, wow I can't believe what I've just done!"
* The Lady Gaga Experience is at St David's Hall, Cardiff, tonight. For tickets priced £10 ring the box office on 029 2087 8444. Find out more about Donna Marie, Lady Gaga Tribute by visiting http://www.ladygagaexperience.com/
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