“I’M a bit too old to dance,” singer Wayne Rogers is telling me, “I’m a trained dancer, but I wouldn’t call what I do dancing.”

We can take that with a grain of salt. Rogers, now 52, is the TV sensation who began dancing at age seven then moved on, in his 20s, through singing into cabaret and musicals. His costumes are said to outdo those of Danny La Rue.

Billed as “Mr Entertainment”, who “shines like a beacon”, he is widely envied for having “legs to die for”. He’s not keen about being described as a drag queen star, though that’s how he’s been widely advertised.

“I strive to achieve that, so my performances don’t become cheap and nasty,” he says.

Rogers will be performing a pre-Christmas show at Teatro Vivaldi with young Canberra pianist James Court and some “surprise guests”, though he’s not telling us who they are.

Right now, after appearing as a finalist in “Australia’s Got Talent” he finds himself the flavour of the season.

His first love is live theatre, “I like moving amongst the audience and talking to them,” he says.

Rogers is taking no chances with his audiences, giving them a variety of ballads, Christmas numbers and pop songs so that everybody will be happy.

His pièce de résistance will be the great drag classic, “I Who Have Nothing”, made famous by Shirley Bassey. “I haven’t chosen it because it’s a drag song, but because it’s the best of what I do.”

And the aim of the show? “Having fun.”

“Christmas with Wayne Rogers”, Teatro Vivaldi, ANU Arts Centre, dinner and show from 7pm, December 19, 21, 22 and 23, bookings to 6257 2718.