In December, this showgirl on the rise is conquering the Sandy Jacks stage: Afrosephone Applegate! [Cover photo: @photochase_nyc]
Thotyssey: Miss Afrosephonie, hello! So we are of course all in wild times, but at least there is the holiday season to mix things up. Are you looking forward to that?
Afrosephone Applegate: Thank you for inviting me to chat. I am definitely looking forward to this holiday season; I believe that we all really need a bit of joy in our lives, especially after the unfortunate election results. I am a firm believer that joy is in itself resistance, and the holidays are all about bringing joy… so I am totally ready to lean into that.
Well said! Generally speaking, are you a Mariah Christmas Queen… or do you tend to avoid That Song every year, lol?
Haha! I am a Lamb the house down boots! There will never be a holiday season where Mariah Carey does not play in my household. However, contrary to popular belief, ” All I Want for Christmas Is You” is one of my least favorite Mariah Carey Christmas songs. She has so many great recordings, but the general public just focuses on that one song. I really hope that more of her other original Christmas music will find its way to the forefront one day!
How might you actually describe your drag year round, as far as looks and numbers go?
Well, as my drag mother Jahlisa will always remind me to tell folks: I am what you would call a showgirl–and a showgirl is a woman of trans experience who performs the art of drag. So with that being said, I always identified my drag as an ode to Black Hollywood and the Chitlin Circuit. Think if the Lena Hornes, Dorothy Dandridges, Lola Folanas and Diahann Carrolls of the world were to still be performing today. Of course, I add in a little bit of contemporary New York flare.
That’s quite a repertoire! Can you tell us a bit about where you’re from originally, and what some of your pre-drag interests and pursuits were?
Oh absolutely. I am originally from Brooklyn, New York–born and raised. And I’ve lived here nearly all my life (except for that two year stint in Massachusetts that we do not like to talk about, lol). I am a product of the public school system–but my parents being the way they are ensured that I was enrolled in the top programs. Think the gifted and talented programs, and magnet programs. I ended up going to Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, which is one of the OG specialized high schools.
I really lived a completely different life before drag. I initially was more interested in civic engagement and politics. The majority of my 20s, I was working in the commissioner suite for one of the largest New York City agencies (I am bit of an old bird). I even had earned my Masters in Social Work from Fordham University. So I was on a very different track.
But as a performer, that urge to get out on stage never quite leaves you. And my pursuits at that time just were not satisfying me nearly enough. As a result, I initially started dabbling in drag in 2019, while I was earning my masters. And of course, the pandemic really threw a wrench in my development. But it allowed me to rediscover myself and who I was after the performer, and I came back out swinging in 2022 and haven’t stopped since.
What were some of your earlier drag gigs, and / or what were some highlights for you you as a performer?
Well, some of my earlier gigs were centered around pole dancing–so a lot of those recitals were de facto drag performances for me. I have this one that I posted on my Instagram where the mix was entirely too long and the wig was terrible, but I was feeling it.
When I restarted my journey in 2022, it was open set after favor after open set. And I would say that this period really built character for me. You learned a lot about yourself as a performer, and you realize how hard drag is to do in the city and to be successful at it.
I have several highlights as a performer, especially this year. One of my biggest highlights was getting my own brunch show over the summer. It didn’t last, but it was such a huge achievement for me because it was at a restaurant in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, which is not too far away from where I grew up. I felt that that was a true full circle moment for me.
These days, Sandy Jack’s in Brooklyn is serving as your home bar! You and Anne J. Tifah will be hosting a monthly (first Fridays) open set show there called “The MOST,” starting in December! What can you tell us about the venue, and what your approach to the show might be?
Yes, Sandy Jack’s has really become my home bar. Sandy Jack’s is a gay owned queer inclusive bar. It is located in the Greenwood Heights section of Brooklyn, which is where South Slope meets Sunset Park. The owner, Mike, has really worked hard this year to really create an atmosphere in which queerness can thrive. While they are several heterosexual patrons that frequent the bar, many of them really serve as allies to the queer folks, the performers and the staff there. They are super committed bunch. The bar partners with the organization GayRidge to really help with the promoting and programming of the various different shows that we have going on, including my show with and Anne J. Tifah, entitled “The MOST.”
“The MOST” stands for Monthly Open Stage Talent. It will serve as a Friday night open set, which is very rare for Brooklyn. I think there’s only one other that exists on a more consistent basis. Our open set will prioritize performers who have not been performing for very long, generally under a year, and to those who may not necessarily be new to performing a drag, but new to the city scene. So this means anybody who normally performs in Jersey, Philadelphia, Long Island, Hudson Valley has the chance to not only have a stage to share their art in the city, but will also have a “prime spot.”
I remember coming up through the open sets and having to perform to a crowd of maybe eight people on a random Wednesday night and walking away with maybe $8. Drag is very expensive, and there is a lot that can be said for the pay that us who do drag should be getting. But I want our show to be one that is able to give our newbies a lucrative opportunity and a frame of reference of what they can expect if they were to stick it out here in the city.
You’ll be back at Jacks on Sat December 7 to co-host “The Trantasy” with Sorayah D, which will benefit Trans Lifeline! What else can you tell us about that event?
Yes, absolutely! Sorayah D and I will be hosting a show called “The Trantasy.” This was really worth out of a response to the results of the 2024 election. We now more than ever, as a community, need of one another. The show’s primary function as a fundraiser for Trans Lifeline, a trans-led organization that provides vital resources for transgender individuals following a peer-to-peer model, which I believe is one of the best models to use. All of the proceeds from that day will go directly to the organization to help fund their programming.
It is going to feature a stacked cast of transgender and non-binary performers. We even secured some in-person services to help with name and gender marker changes on legal documents! We not only want to entertain and raise money, but we also want to ensure that our trans siblings can get support in real time.
Wonderful! Anything else to report?
Oh yes, absolutely. I will be in and around Brooklyn and Long Island all December. I cannot speak about these projects in full detail just yet but if you follow me on my Instagram, you will definitely be the first to know. I also am available for human hair wig services; I can give your units a wash and a condition and a styling for those who are not familiar with how to care for human wigs.
Which brings us to our final question: what’s your favorite item in your drag bag, cosmetic or otherwise?
Oh, and this is a must for every drag performer: it is the 6 inch HandFan! I got it off of Amazon. It has six settings, and she is a lifesaver. I never leave home without it.
Thanks, Afrospehone!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for Afrospehone Applegate’s upcoming appearances, and follow her on Instagram and Bluesky.
Thotyssey 