Queens of Charm City: Baltimore's Best in Drag
- Morgan McCarthy
- May 7, 2016
- 20 min read
It was 8:45 PM, we had just sent a confirmation message to Veronica Lush, the drag performer we were going to interview for the night. She responded, "Don't come. The show is cancelled."
The owner, like many still today, had viewed drag with a misunderstood perception and through a film of homophobia. Baltimore has a diverse night scene including strip clubs, night clubs, sex shops and prostitutes - all lining a central location of the block. These venues however, should not be confused with drag culture, or the performers that keep the industry alive and bring Baltimore weekly entertainment.
Despite the Hippo's ( a regular drag bar) recent closure, drag is very alive in Baltimore and we took to the most popular venues to bring you a list of Baltimore's best. For some, drag is their main occupation, others may sit next you in at the office during the day and come out for nightly performances. Either way, from flips in high heels to lip singing battle showdowns, if theres one thing Baltimore's queens have to prove, it's that Baltimore drag is thriving and ready to compete straight to the top of RuPaul's Drag Race, a national televised drag competition.
Iyana Deschanel
Can you tell us a little about your background?
My real name is Jeremiah Nieves, I am 24 years young. I was born in Germany on a army base. We moved around ALOT and finally settled down in Baltimore. I've lived here most of my life.
How did you get into doing drag performances?
Well.... When I turned 21 I did a contest at the hippo called "new faces of Baltimore" and I really got acceptance and love... After that was all she wrote. 3 years later and now I do drag full time as a job.
What is your favorite/least favorite part about drag?
My favorite part is letting lose and entertaining! My job is to make people forget what is stressful and bothering them in life. When I'm on stage for those 5 mins that is my goal. My least favorite part is padding... I feel like people don't get that I have a couch shoved into my hips and sides and 8 pairs of tights.
Where is your favorite place to perform?
My favorite place to perform in Baltimore is the depot. It may be small but It's a carefree atmosphere!! And the mirrors lining the wall always are a plus!
How have your friends and family reacted to your career?
My family has always supported everything I did. Honestly I don't even have a coming out story of being gay or doing drag. It's just something I chose to do one day and we all rolled with it. I live by these words "surround yourself with acceptance and love and let that take you to higher places".
What does the average workday look like for you? What do you do when you’re not performing?
Lol this could get confusing but here we go..
I have two children and a husband, my days pretty much go like this. Drop kids off at school, sew, style hair, pick kids up, help them do homework, play Xbox with them, drop them off at their grandparents (if need be) pack for a show and hit it! I have a great support system around me that allows me to do drag 5 nights a week.
What is your favorite part about Baltimore, drag or non-drag related?
My favorite part about Baltimore drag is the huge variety of drag we have. People don't realize some of the talented undiscovered queens here. I've been to show where I see a queen do something off the wall and think to myself "now that's a smart queen".
What’s an embarrassing or shining moment, or both that you’ve experienced in your drag career?
Haha!!! What had happened was... I was performing at the hippo and there were speakers you could stand on... I might have stood on one and didn't realize how much I was moving and fell right off of it onto the floor... Picture it!!! It was hilarious!!
Anything else you want to add about drag or personal thoughts
Like many other people drag has gotten me through rough time and good times, I wouldn't change any of it for the world. Everything I've done up to this point has made me exactly who i wanted to be. I do want to take a moment and recognize some of the queen I perform with and whom I think are a couple staples to me.. Brooklyn heights, Veronica lush, Shawnna Alexander, Clarice Dubois, Josie Foster, and Sabrina White.
Veronica Lush
Can you tell us a little about your background?
My name is V-RON, Veronica Lush. Baltimore's favorite Lush. I'm crazy, nasty, drunk, ridiculous, nerdy, and a hot mess.
How did you get into doing drag performances?
After watching RuPaul's drag race for a few years, I decided I wanted to try out some makeup and see how I would do. After a few months of practicing in my basement, and doing some much needed shopping it was decided that I really wanted to do this and start performing.
All of It kind of fell right into my lap too. My mom was at a going away party at the Rowan Tree in Baltimore. It was getting later into the night and they were informed that there would be a Drag Show shortly, so they stuck around and met Shawnna Alexander. After having a little kiki and sharing my attempts at drag makeup, Shawnna demanded that I come down and perform with her at the Rowan Tree the following month. I did, and ever since I've been performing most weekends!
What is your favorite/least favorite part about drag?
My favorite part of drag is that I can finally cosplay all the characters I wanted to be growing up as a kid. I'm a huge nerd and get a lot of inspiration from video games, comic books, movies, Pokémon.
Where is your favorite place to perform?
Ever since the hippo closed down, Baltimore drag has taken a bit of a toll. There are plenty of other venues though. Currently I've been performing monthly at the depot of Baltimore which is an amazing venue! We have our own dressing room and there are televisions set up at the bar so patrons can enjoy the show even if they cant see it with their own eyes! Mixers Bar has always been a favorite too, kind of my home bar. I got to perform there and learn so much.
How have your friends and family reacted to your career?
My family is more supportive of my drag career than they are of my brother's college education. (Only kind of kidding there...) They're super supportive and come to almost all the big events/ pageants that I'm in! It really drives me to do better too, I always want to make sure that mom and dad are very entertained and in shock of what they're seeing their son do. Lol, I think it's part of the reason they love it so much. Even when I'm not performing they'll occasionally come to shows with me, my father is almost as popular in the Drag community as I am. #PapaLush
What does the average workday look like for you? What do you do when you’re not performing?
I'm a receptionist at a salon in hunt valley, in real life anyway. Unfortunately, unless you get on TV it's really hard to make Drag pay the bills.
When I'm totally off duty, I'm usually out with my dog hiking in the woods, or on the couch snuggled up to my boyfriend playing some video games, or binge watching Netflix shows.
What is your favorite part about Baltimore, drag or non-drag related?
The best part of drag to me is the sense of family. I've always had a strong supportive family, and coming to Baltimore from York, pa just to start drag was an easy transition. Several people in the community instantly accepted me as a friend, and helped me grow. It's not just like that for me, it's like the entire community here. Even though there's lots of petty arguments whenever something drastic happens the ENTIRE community will come together to help everyone out, despite any drama they've had.
What’s an embarrassing or shining moment, or both that you’ve experienced in your drag career?
Baltimore Drag Wars (With MiMi ImFurst) and The Baltimore Drag Battle Royale had some of my best moments, along with some of my most embarrassing. One night at Drag wars I fell down the stairs of the stage, and later that same night I fell down the stairs backstage! I wasn't even drunk! However....I never spilled my drink! #StillWinning
When I started Drag Wars 2015 I didn't have a huge fan base. A lot of people knew who I was but didn't totally get what my gig was, or really care for me as a performer. Week after week I was given challenges that pushed me to the creative limits. Each week I could hear the audience getting louder and louder and telling me how much they loved my performances! It felt amazing to finally start feeling validated as an entertainer in my community. I ended up being in the first runner up in that competition, which gave me a head start for the next one. The Baltimore drag battle royale with Brooklyn heights. The ones who went to drag wars knew what kind of shit I was capable of when put up to a challenge and came out each week until I came out the victor!
Miss Robynn Ya'Men
Can you tell us a little about your background?
My birth name is Josh Bingamon, but my drag name is Miss Robynn Ya'Men. I am 24 years old and I was born and raised right here in Baltimore, Maryland. I graduated from the Dance Program at Patapsco High School and Center For The Arts in 2010. I have been doing drag for about three and a half years now.
How did you get into doing drag performances?
I got into doing drag performances while attending the Community College of Baltimore County. We had an event there called Drag—U-Cation. It was basically a drag show that students could attend then we did a big Q&A with all of the performers after the show. The second year of doing it they were looking for student performers so I volunteered to do it. It was a lot of fun so a few months later I decided to do it again. After that I just kept doing it and getting better and better as I went along.
What is your favorite/least favorite part about drag?
My favorite part about drag is being able to entertain a crowd. There are a lot of people who think drag queens do it because they just want to look pretty. Now while that may be very true, be a drag queen is very much about being an entertainer as well. Whether you are a comedian, a dancer, a live singer, or just a beauty queen, being able to just become another person and bring a crowd to their feet is an amazing feeling.
My least favorite part about drag is that it can be very competitive. While obviously when you are talking about pageants and things like that then obviously yes they are competitions. But there are a lot of drag queens who feel like they are always competing with other queens even just doing shows. And it can be very draining dealing with this on a regular basis.
Where is your favorite place to perform?
In all of the places that I have gotten the privilege to perform, I think my favorite has been at a bar called Ziegfelds/ Secrets in Washington, D.C. The bar manager there, Jon Parks, is an incredible person to work with. He invited me to perform after he judged me when I ran for Miss Gay Maryland UsofA. The crowds in D.C. Just have such an amazing atmosphere unlike here in Baltimore at times. You can really tell they love seeing queens perform and really respect the entertainers.
How have your friends and family reacted to your career?
I have actually been very fortunate to have friends and also family that support me 100% in deciding to do drag. It took a minute for my parents to get used to the idea but now it is like nothing to them. Its never been a problem with any of my friends. Actually some of my friends are my number one supporters in drag and come to a lot of my shows.
What does the average workday look like for you? What do you do when you’re not performing?
By day I am a receptionist for a barbershop and I will soon be a server for a restaurant. I am also a dancer so I do a lot of choreography projects around Baltimore. And of course I spend some of my off days prepping for pageants and such. But I also like going to the movies and researching new music.
What is your favorite part about Baltimore, drag or non-drag related?
I would have to say my favorite part of Baltimore is the Inner Harbor. I love going there on a nice day and just being able to walk around and see all these amazing things that it has to offer.
What’s an embarrassing or shining moment, or both that you’ve experienced in your drag career?
It's hard to pick just one embarrassing moment haha. I would have to say that it was when I ran for Miss Gay Maryland America and the current reigning Miss Gay America came up to talk to me as a boy. I stood there talking to him for a minute not having any clue who it was. Then I finally just asked and he started busting out laughing and told me. I had never seen what he looked like as a boy. I had only seen him as a drag queen........
Anything else you want to add about drag or personal thoughts
Drag is a chance to be able to become a completely different person. Whether you do it for fun, as a career, or for pageants. It is suppose to be something you enjoy. Once it stops being fun, it's probably time to stop doing it.
Shawn Alexander
Can you tell us a little about your background?
I grew up in the Baltimore area all my life, then moved to Hagerstown for about 3 years when I was 26. That's actually where I started drag. Then I came back to Baltimore a year or two ago. It's a city filled with filth, depravity, illegal activity, poverty, and immoral godless heathens.... it’s perfect for me!
How did you get into doing drag performances?
The funny thing is that a few years ago I NEVER would have thought I'd be a drag queen. I grew up in the punk/metalhead world I did the whole metal band thing..was always an outcast pretty much everywhere but especially the gay community. I always thought drag queens were a bunch of boring theatre queens in rhinestoned gowns doing Julie Andrews numbers. I started watching Rupaul's Drag Race and it was Sharon Needles who actually inspired me. It was a style of drag I naturally gravitated towards as the biggest female influences in my life have always been women like Morticia Addams, Elvira, Lilly Munster and people like that. I actually learned the makeup basics via a drag queen from Wisconsin I talked to on a video chat program and she became my online drag mother. I was originally only going to do it for Halloween so I spent months beforehand practicing. Halloween I went to my first gay bar, a little place called Spin in Hagerstown and it was such a positive response that I got an offer from the bar to do a group performance with a bunch of the local queens. It was a hit and I've been a year-round Halloween queen since.
What is your favorite/least favorite part about drag?
My favorite part, honestly, is the feeling of creation. My drag is a culmination of all the influences in my life and taken to exaggerated levels..and I love the feeling of creating a visual to the spooky lil world that goes on in my head. The least favorite for me is the occasional creators block. I try to go for more performance art and sometimes it's hard when you have a lot of gigs to do but you don't really have anything to say creatively. Sometimes you're all tapped out but the show has to go on.
Where is your favorite place to perform?
The Black Cat in DC. Or The Lodge in Hagerstown. Those two places really get alternative styles of drag and I'm allowed full freedom to do whatever I want artistically, which I appreciate.
How have your friends and family reacted to your career?
The funny thing about drag is that it's so misunderstood. You really run the risk of sacrificing a LOT of relationships over something that's your passion. I've had relationships end because of drag, relationships with family suffer because of it, all sorts of things. For the most part it's been positive because in all honesty those who really love you, will want you to do whatever makes you happy. Anyone who sees the benefits I get from drag and still attempt to take it away clearly don't have my best interest at heart.
What does the average workday look like for you? What do you do when you’re not performing?
My life isn't all that exciting, really. I'm just your typical witch doing her part to terrorize normal people of the world. I make music mixes for shows, work on costumes and hair…the majority of drag is really about all the prep work. You only get to see a three-minute performance but the work that goes into it really is around the clock. Beyond drag I prefer the more simple hobbies…midnight walks through graveyards, maybe throwing a hex or two, reading, music, cooking and sewing Voodoo dolls for the Christmas toy drives at the local orphanage...
What is your favorite part about Baltimore, drag or non-drag related?
I'm a night person…and there's always something to do. Did you know most of the porn stores are open 24hrs? Baltimore is a wonderful place where you can grab something to eat, party with hookers, lose all of your money in the casino, consume inhuman amounts of alcohol, end up in the emergency room, add a couple of details to your criminal record, and make it back home all before sunrise. It's a hell of a town.
What’s an embarrassing or shining moment, or both that you’ve experienced in your drag career?
I don't really have any embarrassing moments regarding drag on account of the fact that I have no shame. There are lots of shining moments but I think all of them lumped together are really what the bigger picture is. I never would have thought, when I first started, that people would pay much attention to some spooky queen who loved pushing buttons. I've gotten praise from my creative idols, have done shows I've always wanted to do and NO queen in the area is as busy on Halloween as me. I'm really accomplishing all my goals and I couldn't be more appreciative.
Anything else you want to add about drag or personal thoughts
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL DRAG SCENE. Regardless of whether you're straight, bi, gay, or anything in between. Get to your local bars. The Baltimore scene is so diverse that there's a queen for any taste you may have. The Depot, Grand Central, The Rowan Tree, Chappies, Reverb, and more all have drag shows so there's always one near you. Find me on Facebook as well as all the other queens and ask where the shows are. If you've never been to a show before, what are you waiting for? Come join the party. We don't bite...well most of us don't.... unless you're paying extra...
Brooklyn Heights
Can you tell us a little about your background?
Hey all! Well my legal name is Ryan Butler. I'm a 25-year-old male from Baltimore, MD. As well as a husband of 7 years and a father of 2 children. I'm also a full time makeup artist as well as a full time drag queen by the name of Brooklyn Heights!
How did you get into doing drag performances? I was actually dared into doing drag my first time at Club Hippo's yearly contest, New Faces of Baltimore. My husband started drag a few months prior and I thought I'd give it a shot. I won the whole contest that year and haven't stopped since. What is your favorite/least favorite part about drag?
My favorite part of doing drag is entertaining the crowd. I host my own shows so being on the microphone, making people laugh and forget all the worries is the best feeling in the world. My least favorite part would be having to use the restroom for 5 hours and there's nothing I can do until the show is over!
Where is your favorite place to perform? I've performed all over the DC/MD/VA/PA but my favorite place to perform in the whole world would have to be anywhere in Baltimore! Support from your own community is the best feeling ever.
How have your friends and family reacted to your career? I have the biggest support group in the world. My husband and I doing drag has no affect on any of personal relationships.
What does the average workday look like for you? What do you do when you’re not performing? A regular day for me is a regular day like anyone else, honestly. Take my kids to school, work, homework with my kids, sports with my kids and at home. When I'm not performing, I'm either promoting shows in the city and/or just relaxing at home.
What is your favorite part about Baltimore, drag or non-drag related? My favorite part about the Baltimore drag is the diverse queens we have here. Everyone is special and does something different. We all bring someone new and fresh to the table.
What’s an embarrassing or shining moment, or both that you’ve experienced in your drag career? My "shining" moment in my drag career would have to be when I was blessed enough to take over the shows at Club Hippo before they closed. My most embarrassing moment would have to be my first ever performance in drag which no one will find on social media because I've erased all the evidence lol!
Kandi Pop
Can you tell us a little about your background?
My name is Kenyon booker but people know me on the stage as Kandi pop. Kandi is and forever will be 18 years old but Kenyon is 20 Years old. I came up with the name Kandi because I wanted a name that had to do something with me personally and i am very well known for baking cupcakes so I felt as though this name fit me perfectly. plus you never will be able to find any drag queen with that name. it fits me very well because I’m cute and sweet just like candy and I can get everything popping as soon as i step in the room. I Have been doing drag since June of 2015. Previously worked with makeup in high school a lot when doing musicals so i was doing a lot of theater makeup. I also did allot of Halloween makeup before i got into doing drag, so that knowledge in makeup and the fact that i went to an art school for high school helped with my knowledge in drag makeup.
How did you get started?
I first tried drag on the weekend of my 19 birthday when i had an ex of mine do my drag makeup for me. he was doing my makeup for me since a group of us were going to a club in dc called town and I wanted to try doing drag, but didn’t want to look busted. then I didn’t get back into doing the makeup myself until earlier this year when I would learn how to do drag makeup by watching and following drag makeup tutorials on YouTube. then, i would just practice as much as i could on my free time and went top any drag event that I could, in drag of course.
Who/what were/has been/are your biggest influences?
I have two main things that influence me in my drag. One of them is my drag mother, Anita Minnet. She has shown me that you have to work hard in the drag community to achieve what you want. she has made me strive to want to be better in my drag career and has pushed me to do better. the second thing that influences me is cartoons. Yes I’m 20 years old, but I do still watch cartoons every single day. One thing I strive to do with any drag look is to recreate a cartoon character. If I don’t recreate a specific character, I make up my own that has her own background story. Think of it this way. Kandi Pop as…
How has your family reacted to your career?
The only family members that know I do drag are the ones I live with which is my mom and grandmother. they both love that I do drag. My mom is super supportive as is my grandmother and my grandmother is always asking questions to better educate herself and loves seeing pictures of the makeup that I do. My mom has come out to a lot of my performances, she even tries to get her friends to come see me perform as well. my grandmother hasn't come to any of my performances yet because they are a little too late for her.
What are some differences and similarities between you and your in drag persona?
I would say that something that is the same about me and other drag queens in our drag personas is that I am a lover of unrealistic facial features when it comes to doing my makeup. I love big eye makeup, a small nose, huge lips, etc. Something that is different about my drag is the fact that not very many drag queens in Baltimore, yet alone Maryland, can fit any of my sizes. i wear a size 9 heel and am a size 10 dress size and can fit things, mostly anything, that most drag queens can’t fit.
What is your favorite genre or type of music to perform to?
I would say that my favorite thing to perform would be a song I find on YouTube. in particular, anything that Todrick Hall has made. yes, he is a male singer, but he has a very high pitch voice and that can carry over when I am performing. plus, i think he is the most creative person I know when it comes to singers. all of his songs have a meaning and a storyline behind them and it is very easy to do a character with his songs which is my favorite thing to do.
What has your happiest moment in drag been?
I think my happiest moment in drag was when everyone started realizing that I was getting better at my drag and was saying that I have improved faster than anyone they have ever met in a long time.
Biggest struggle/conflict
The biggest conflict I have in drag is having a bad left foot. I have had 2 corrective surgeries on my left foot and it isn't as strong as it used to be so it makes it very hard for me to walk gracefully in heels.
Strangest thing to happen to you as a drag queen?
One of the strangest things to ever happen to me in drag was when I went out to a club in dc called town for a friend’s birthday. I was standing there and I feel someone grab my butt, so I get startled and turn around. he smiles and laughs and we start dancing. but, that wasn't the weirdest part. as we get to dancing I go to talk to him, and go to find out…he is deaf. now mind you I wear glasses as a boy so I can't when I’m in drag. so in a dark club where I can't read the text messages he's typing me so we can talk I keep trying to explain to him that I don't have my glasses on and can't read what he's typing to me and he isn't getting the picture. most awkward and frustrating thing to ever happen to me…...while I was in full drag!
Views on RuPaul’s Drag Race and mainstream media?
I am kind of on the fence with this. I love it as a TV show. but it makes drag queens have to be put in this little category box. Oh you're a comedy queen, or oh you're a pageant queen. I feel like that just labels us more than we already are. what? drag queens can’t be a mixture of some things. I've seen many comedy queens that love running in pageants. I just feel as the show tries to separate drag queens and put them into their own separate labeled box and says “you are going to be this type of drag queen, nothing less nothing more and you are going to like it!” it honestly annoys and disgusts me.
Goals with your drag career. Why?
I have always had 2 goal with my drag career. one is to win pageants. not for the fact that I become “[pageant famous” but for the fact that winning those pageants will be a personal goal that lets me know “hey, maybe I actually good at what I do. maybe other people think that too.” Another one is to someday be able to host my own drag shows. I feel like all the hosts of a drag show are all the well known queens and I want to be successful in my drag career.
Views on the drag community (local or as a whole)?
I see todays drag community as 2 words: HIGH SCHOOL. The drag community these days are just as drama filled and catty as the cliques in a high school are and it is so annoying because queens these days let that get to them when someone starts drama and I have even seen where some drag queens let that get to them so much that they decide they don't want to continue doing drag anymore. all I can say is boo who suck it up and go on with your life.
Like most about being in drag?
What I like most about being in drag is that I get to express myself through art in a way I wouldn't be able to as a boy. as a boy I am very shy when I first meet you. but Kandi pop is very outgoing and loves (or hates) you from the second she meets you. I love being able to be as creative as i want to be.
What does it mean to you to be a drag queen. Internal and external?
To be a drag queen means that I can be as creative as I want to be and be someone I’ve always wanted to be, or that society wouldn't allow me to be as a boy.
Extra Info for Julie:
Query Letter - Please see Query Letter: Amy Mulvihill, "Baltimore Magazine"
Reference Articles from Baltimore Magazine: Top 20 Bachelors and Bachelorettes in Baltimore & Labor of Love
For reference to editorial calendar and submission guidelines please see Baltimore Magazine
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