This Imperial Court of New York queen has not only competed in a number of major pageants… she’s created a few of her own! Now Angelique Imperious is preparing for some major events throughout the rest of the year with the Court, plus a special appearance this spooky season!
Thotyssey: Hello Angelique, thanks for talking to us today! I see that you were part of the Imperial Court of New York’s recent “Royal Happy Hour” show at Boxers HK. How did that go?
Angelique Imperious: Hello and good evening! The Royal Happy Hour was wonderful.
Can you tell us how long you have been in the Court, and what your title is today?
So I have been a member for a one and half years now; currently I am a Baroness, and their secretary to the board.
Amazing! What made you want to join the Court?
They are truly the only organization that helps a lot of other charities, and I’m happy to donate my time and effort to this group.
Do you have any favorite charities, or charities that mean the most to you, that the Court works with?
I really don’t have one favorite charity that we work with, because each are truly remarkable and unique. And every charity has special needs that we help them with, and that’s the most important part. I was raised to always help other people, not just myself. And I get a very good feeling when I help everybody else.
Understood! Can you tell us a bit of your early life story: where are you originally from, and when did you start drag?
I am originally from the Bronx; I grew up around Castle Hill and Pelham Parkway and Fordham Road, and then in the late 80s we moved out to a town called Woodbridge, NJ. Currently I live in freehold New Jersey.
I am currently 45 years old; I started doing drag when I was 26. When I started doing drag, I would [frequently go to] to the Colosseum when it was in Sayreville, New Jersey–where Bon Jovi is from–and The Den nightclub in New Brunswick on the Somerset border in New Jersey.
I was also the person at every “Drag Wars Tuesday” contest. That was always the person that was told never to come back, but I always came back with new attitudes in my drag performances. So I am definitely no stranger to obstacles that happen at clubs by people who don’t understand what you like to do entertainment-wise.
Do you miss the clubs and those bigger venues and parties?
Yes, I do miss a lot of the clubs the Colosseum, the dead nightclub Escuelita in New York. And the Web.
You’re busy at a variety of other places these days.
Currently, I perform at venues such as Tequila 55 in Dover, Georgie’s in Asbury Park, and at times at Paradise in Asbury Park for both Thursday and sometimes other nights. I am very happy to have finally performed on the Stonewall Inn stage and be part of the history that legends have performed on. And I have gotten to walk Pride this year, and was on channel 7 with The Imperial Court.
All amazing! What are your favorite types of numbers to do, and looks to present, on stage?
Truthfully, I like a lot of the actual performance stuff that allows my inner side outside, that people have never seen of me before. I’m basically good at memorizing a lot of movies, so I use a lot of those movie clips in my performances.
One of my favorite performances was done at a pageant where I played the Bride of Frankenstein. We did a spoof of Young Frankenstein, but instead of Dr. Frankenstein bringing me back to life, the Frankenstein monster was making a woman monster.
Love that! What’s been your history with pageants? Do you have some crowns… and what’s been the favorite one you competed in?
Unfortunately I have not won any titles. However back in 2006, one of the contestants–well, two of the contestants–stepped down, so the only title I have in my possession that I was basically awarded after those two stepped down was Miss Somerset New Jersey, which was a prelim to Miss Gay New Jersey. I have also competed in Ms. Fire Island.
I always come close, but unfortunately have not won those prestige titles. But that does not stop me from competing. That only puts me in the mood to keep on doing what I do. And not all titles make the person; it is the person who wins the title that makes the title.
Well said!
I have also thrown my own pageant after starting my own pageant system. So I created Imperious Productions, and with Imperious Productions I created Miss Imperious and Miss Revelations. Miss Revelations was one of the biggest pageant systems that I created, which had two years that I produced and was successful in my eyes. Miss Imperious and Miss Revelations have taken a hiatus until I’m able to bring them back.
I currently have a Miss Imperious New York that is held by Miss Zelina Duval and a Miss Revelations New Jersey held by Victoria Courtez. One of my [previous] Miss Revelations currently hosts a show at Rockbar; her name is Erika LeDerreon.
What do you think is the key to creating a successful, entertaining and fair pageant?
One judge can throw up a whole category, and if that judge knows the individual that’s competing… that’s where they can be a disaster. The other successful idea that I did was after every category, the scores do not leave the judges’ table. You have one individual who calculates everything after the sheets are passed down to the head judge, and then after every category gets tallied up [the sheets get] put into an envelope that is sealed until it’s time to call out the winner. Also, always make sure you give your contestants back the score sheets and any comments.
We are in the Spooky Season now… do you like serving Halloween looks and numbers?
I love doing a lot of scary looks. I have done a voodoo doll, a voodoo priest, a skeleton look, a vampire look. I do those for Halloween events only.
On Halloween you’re going to be doing a show at The Perry Club in the West Village with the prior mentioned Zelina and Paige Monroe!
I have known Paige since 2005, and she became my drag mother. The owner of The Perry Club invited us back for Halloween after [our Pride show]. Halloween is a very good event because in addition to the Halloween parade that is going on, we will be performing at the restaurant. Everyone is invited to attend. Plus he has a good array of food. Not just pizza but macaroni, spaghetti and meatballs… and I could say myself, very good on the stomach.
What else is coming up for you?
You will be able to catch me in the next coming events that The Imperial Court will be throwing. I will be at Industry Bar on November 3 for their Day of the Dead event. Then I will be back at Boxers for “12 Drags of Christmas.” In addition, I will be at this huge brunch that Empress Maddie Keyth and Emperor Graham D’Craquer throw at Lands End in Long Island, near the Fire Island Ferry Terminal. And I will also be at the “Night of 1000 Gowns” that will be thrown on April 5 at the Edison Ballroom. I do have raffles that I’m selling for that, and I’m trying to bring other communities into the fold.
Wonderful! Any closing words?
My theory comes from a quote from Dhar Mann: “The kindness you put out into the world always comes back to you.”
Happy Halloween, Angelique!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for Angelique Imperious’ upcoming appearances, and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
Thotyssey 