OK gals, here are some articles that have popped up in the local rag from time to time about the more adventurous (some would say courageous) among us...
Carlotta in He Did It Her Way—a journey into her world as a performer and transexual who started life as a Balmain boy—showing at the School of Arts Cafe, June 1-5.
The Chronicle Tuesday June 1 1999 pp - 30
FOR 26 years from 1963, Carlotta was the undisputed Queen of Kings Cross-the legend of Les Girls, a landmark theatre restaurant where all the women on stage are really drag queens.
He Did It Her Way, showing at School of Arts Cafe from June 1-5, is a fascinating hilarious journey into her world as a performer and transexual who started life as a Balmain boy and went on to have one of the first sex change operations in Australia. Carlotta is six feet tall in her stilettos, and in her Christopher Essex gowns and diamante earrings is the undisputed Queen of Drag.
Born in Balmain, went to school at Christian Brothers and then Rozelle Tech and ran away from home at 16 years of age, and got a job in David Jones art department. Her first encounter with drag queens was when she was taken to the Rex Hotel in the Cross, and even though she didn't know what the words "drag queen" meant she was fascinated by the buzz and excitement.
When she met American entrepreneur Lee Gordon (Manager of Johnny O'Keefe and a close personal friend of Sinatra) he had the idea of starting Les Girls and immediately decided that she would be in the show. He gave her the name of Carlotta (taken from Empress Carlotta of Mexico), she gave up window dressing and was on her way to stardom!
Carlotta now lives in Brisbane and as she says, "I can play a girl or a guy or both... I'm flexible".
The Chronicle 15 April 1999
Maria Ju Wanna, Marcia Mello-Dee, Steroid Stella and Felicia Fong at the Meridian Club, Braddon 17APR1999