A Drag Queen is Born
As the first Friday of the month is approaching, drag mother Isis Vermouth is in search of some new drag talent for her next drag party. This past Friday April, 26, she hosted a drag competition.
“Tonight’s event is a little popup drag show, we do a big show on the first Friday of every month. But today we have the little baby drag queens compete for a spot to perform at my next Drag show on the first Friday of the month, right here at Union Tavern, 51 Market Street,” said Vermouth.
Union Tavern is typically known to be packed with college students and residents from the local Poughkeepsie area for tower Tuesdays and thirsty Thursday’s. But on Friday’s Union is transformed by local drag mother Isis Vermouth.
Vermouth has been dressing up in drag for over 20 years. The creative idea of her character Isis began when she was just a teenager. “In middle school in the 90’s, my mother showed me a film called Too Wong Fu.” A well-known film within the LGBTQ community which depicts some of the famous drag queens who pathed the way for drag culture to be born. Too Wong Foo included famous drag queens such as Ru Paul Charles, to Lady Bunny and even Miss Coco Peru.
Although. Vermouth’s drag career didn’t necessarily start during her middle school day a creative flame was sparked within her by her mother. “I started doing drag in the late 90’s in high school. By opening my first club in high school it was a teen club in Florida. It was called the Den” said Vermouth.
When Vermouth moved back to New York in 2000, she began making flyers and doing promotions for drag shows in New York City.
Since, “I went to college for advertising and graphic design. In order to make a little extra money I did all the flyers for the parties, so eventually the clubs let me pick and choose who was going to be in the show.” However, “I didn’t really start getting into drag seriously until around 2003–2004,” said Vermouth.
As Vermouth continued to create flyers for the New York City drag shows, “I tried to hire my drag mom the lady estrogen as a host. Sometimes she would show up really drunk or not at all. So, I decided to host the parties myself” said Vermouth. This is when her drag queen character Isis Vermouth was born.
The creation of her drag name was different than most other drag queens, who typically get their names from their drag mother. “I got my drag name as kind of a joke, it was my cat’s name but it’s also the goddess of magic and motherhood, Isis. My drag mom and I used to host a party in Kingston in the early 2000’s called, Tea with gin and vermouth. So, I kind of named myself Isis Vermouth, I was never actually serious about it but it kind of stuck and everyone started calling me Isis.”
From that day forward Vermouth became the host of the local New York drag shows, she created the flyers and organized the set list.
As Vermouth’s shows grew so did her drag persona. Vermouth describes her character as “an over indulgent narcissist. Because I think it really attracts people to my shows, people who are obsessed with themselves. And I think that everyone should be obsessed with themselves but to a certain level.”
Vermouth’s fashion choices varied across the spectrum, it all depended on what kind of show or party she was hosting. But Vermouth says, “I try to channel 1920’s bimer, berlin, dark Goth or witchy looks.” Surprising enough, “The highest heels I have ever worn were 12 inches. I only wear them when I am walking on stage in the very beginning because that is the first impression.”
Aside from dressing up in women’s clothing and wearing make up to create the best female illusion, drag is so much more than that. “For most people drag is a therapy, so their performances, their looks and their songs combine feelings they’ve felt. Because no one ever really remembers what they wear or say or performed too, but they always remember how you made them feel,” Vermouth explained.
However, not just anyone can slap on a wig, a pair of shoes, make up and call themselves a drag queen. Vermouth believes, “a well-polished drag queen, I would have to say has personality. If you can’t captivate people or make them feel welcome then you aren’t really doing your job. The whole point of people hiring you is to create community, to create connection and to host a party is to introduce everyone and make new friends.”
In order for Vermouth to create a free, open, fun, and inclusive environment during her shows, “I like to introduce myself to each person, I go around saying hello to everyone, even if I don’t know them” she said. By doing this she is able to meet new members to the community as well as find potential drag queens she can mentor and be their drag mother. “I have so many drag daughters” Vermouth exclaimed.
“Honestly it doesn’t make your candle burn any less bright to light someone else’s,” she said.
