Local Heroes and Heroines!

Becky Allen

Ricky Graham

Bianca del Rio

While the Big Easy may point with pride to the careers of some nationally known gay and lesbian artists–from writer Tennessee Williams who called New Orleans his spiritual home to comedienne Ellen DeGeneres who grew up in the city–there are also a number of local residents who have achieved a home-grown celebrity in New Orleans’ gay and lesbian community. Many of these gay icons have risen to prominence in the city’s theater and performing arts productions.

Becky Allen is a talented and beloved local comedienne who often appears in plays or in her own one-woman shows. While every inch a woman, her heavy make up, over-the-top style, and campy persona make Allen reminiscent of a man in drag. She’s called herself “a female female impersonator.” In addition to theater, sometimes she emcees events at French Quarter gay bars, and she can often be found hanging out and cracking wry jokes with the boys.

A frequent collaborator with Allen, Ricky Graham is a playwright and actor who sometimes performs in drag, sometimes not. One of Graham’s best talents is his ability to easily slip in and out of various roles, whether they’re golden-era Hollywood actresses or New Orleans character types that make local audiences howl with laughter.

Bianca del Rio is a well-known drag queen in New Orleans who’s performed in one-woman shows and used to do Drag Queen Bingo at Oz where she reveled in offending anyone and everyone with a foul mouth. But at least she had a new dress every week. Varla Jean Merman is another drag queen who makes frequent appearances in the city. Her classically trained voice, professionalism, and sharp wit has brought her national exposure on cable networks like HBO, E!, and MTV, and even ABC’s All My Children.

A lovely, African-American R&B diva, Mary Griffin honed her talents in her native New Orleans and developed a loyal following among Crescent City gays and lesbians for her silky voice and her vivacious interactions with the audience. She currently lives in Houston, but her shows in New Orleans draw enthusiastic crowds.

The seemingly ageless, always energetic Chris Owens has been doing her flashy, cruise-ship-style cabaret show at her Bourbon Street club for decades now. She also hosts an annual Easter parade that intersects with gay Easter festivities in the French Quarter.

Some other celebrities well-loved in the GLBT community are Angela Hill, a local newscaster who often judges gay-themed events, and Delta Burke, the former beauty queen and Designing Women sitcom star who has a residence in the French Quarter.

While every city has its local heroes and heroines, it takes a place like New Orleans to assemble such a diverse and offbeat cast.