Our current reigning Mx. Fame, drag sorceress Eden DarkStar casts her deadly spells across Long Island and NYC.
Thotyssey: Hi Eden, thanks for talking with us!
Eden DarkStar: Hey Thotyssey, I’m so happy to be chatting with you.
So January dragged on forever, but February kinda flew, right?
Honestly, it doesn’t even feel like February is halfway over. It’s been kind of a quiet month, but I’ve gotten a whole lot of cleaning done, which is more than I can say about January.
I bet keeping a drag queen’s house in order must be a never ending task!
It absolutely is. Just when you think you got every sequin shard from off of the floor, there appears two dozen more under your feet. My mini-vac is an essential in my drag bag.
These days you perform a lot in Long Island, but you’ve been on stages all over the state.
Yes! I am all over the place, but am mostly a down-state diva. As of 2023 I began doing a lot more drag on Long Island, following life events that have led to me making the decision to be with family more.
I’m from the island originally, but as an entity was born in Brooklyn where I lived for almost a decade. She was gigging in Manhattan early in her drag, and is now breaking into Queens and parts of the island at this time. So yeah, she’s all around town… and she ain’t stopping anytime soon.
What drew you to drag on the first place?
I think it was always bound to happen, and I subconsciously put myself into rooms that led me to what I’m doing now. I went to school for illustration at FIT, so there was already something going on there. About halfway through my experience there I knew there were certain glamour and self-expression boxes not being checked by what I was doing. So while I did finish with my degree, I was going out in Brooklyn to see “Nightgowns” and all of the drag creatures.
However, I started working at Therapy in Hell’s Kitchen as a cocktail server after college, and was so incredibly lucky to get a sideline education in drag from all the girls there. 2016-17 Brooklyn drag drew me to drag as an art form, and Hells Kitchen drag is where I learned how I could translate my drag into a career.
Can you tell us a bit about your aesthetic? Are you and Alice Noir the Glamor Ghouls of Long Island?
Yas, my sister and I are definitely those glamour ghouls! There are definitely a lot of dark and twisted undertones to my drags, influenced by horror and sci-fi elements. My favorite thing to do is to create a look from a dark vision and dragify it, give it polish and add a rhinestone or 1000. I find my approach to doing drag is even a touch old school; I am of the mind that bigger is better. Eden is glamorous, but somehow relatable–and has become much more colorful over the years. She’s always going through eras, and I’m excited to see what eras will come next for this year! Maybe cyber-punk.
Long Island as a community is not always known for social liberalism, and in general these are not good times for drag in straight spaces. But drag shows are popping up all over the island, and they’re popular! It’s a strange time.
You hit the nail on the head. We are certainly witnessing a renaissance of Long Island drag; this is due in no small part to the queens and community members that work their asses off to not only carve out their spaces, but spaces for other performers. There are a handful of consistent and amazing shows throughout Nassau and Suffolk, but on an island of around 8 million people or so, there should be weeklies all over the place!
There is a hunger for drag on Long Island, and I think bars and venues are seeing more that drag shows can not only make them money and draw a crowd but are amazing community building tools. Drag artists are worth it. There is a ton of potential on the island, and Long Island bars. If you’re reading this: the girls wanna work!
One place we can see you out there is Sayville’s Station Pub–a very drag friendly bar– for the “Shoot Your Shot” open stage show. You will be co-hosting with Annie Manildoo! “Shoot” seems to have evolved into a big show in the area.
Oh, I love Station Pub, a queer-friendly neighborhood bar (that actually is queer friendly and doesn’t just say that, oop). Annie and the guys at Station have really made that night something special. Annie encourages every performer to come and show what they’ve created, regardless of drag background, POV, or experience level. It’s overall such a positive show every time, and is a perfect example of what kind of shows can happen throughout the island if given the love that shows been given.
That brings us to Halo, an actual queer bar on Long that opened fairly recently in Oceanside! They offer lots of programming including drag shows, and you’ll be starring in one called “Purgatory” on March 8th with Alice Noir and Bella Noche.
Yes! I am getting to know the good people at Halo, and am very excited for what’s to come, I think they are only one of two actual gay bars on the island that I know of (Fire Island not included). They are really working with us to create some sickening nights. “Purgatory” is a new late night show, and it’s going to be gritty and sexy… and I get to open it up with my sissies Bella and Alice!
Lots of cool things going on there, it seems.
I’m also excited to tell you here first: I’ll be co-hosting a new open set extravaganza called “Angels” at Halo with my good Judy, Awhora Borealis! This will start Sunday, March 24th! More info to come!
Very exciting! You also dabble in in pageants and big competitions. What’s new on that front?
I’m competing in the “Mx. Cantina preliminary” on March 14th. I was also just crowned Mx Fame at Walk of Fame, Awhora and Annie’s Pageant in Lindenhurst.
Congrats!
And you also host a recurring show in Brooklyn, usually at Starr Bar.
“Hot Snakes!” My pride and joy will be returning for a special 420 show. It’s a monthly drag adventure, the collaboration of my drag and my brother Andrew’s theater and production company Outta Bounds Productions. Hosted by myself and my drag sister Koko, we invite a special drag guest each show and put on some experimental numbers, play games, share stories and tell poop jokes. We’ve had to take a few months off for unforeseen circumstances, but are excited to be back soon!
Good luck with Mx Cantina and have fun with all the gigs! Lastly: Drag Race! Another NYC queen, Xunami Muse, just sashayed away while the villainous Plane Jane won “Snatch Game!” Who are you rooting for now to win the whole shabang?
Ahh, big props to Miss FOURRR for slaying on her time in the arena! I have to say, Nymphia is doing it for me (minus “Snatch Game,” lol) I have a huge respect for the queens that have their hands on every part of their drag, she knows WTF she’s doing, and I live. I’ve only seen her once in person at Missleidy’s Paper mag shoot last year, and was gooped by her in that short time. I’m not surprised she’s slaying.
Same, and so is Ms. DarkStar! Thanks, Eden!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for Eden DarkStar’s upcoming appearances, and follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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