The one winged angel of the Tito Rocks bar family is hear to make musical theater, your drinks, and your night. [Cover photo: Leyda Luz]
Bar(s) that I work at: Balcon, Pieces, and Playhouse (and occasionally Hardware when they need someone to fill in)
How long I’ve worked there: Since May 2024
What are my shifts: Happy hour Tuesday and Wednesday at Balcon (Wednesdays are a fun, all-musical theatre happy hour), and Friday and Saturday late nights at Pieces and Playhouse, respectively.
What makes this bar great: The people — and by that, I don’t just mean the staff, though our staff really does make the bars feel like home. But, the customers who come through the doors are just as vital to creating the safe haven that these bars are for the queer community.
Best drink I make: I make a mean cosmo. But if I have the ingredients at my disposal, I love making a Corpse Reviver No. 2 and if you haven’t had one, make it your new go-to cocktail!
I love it when customers: It’s such a small thing, but I love it when they say bye when they’re leaving. It’s like saying bye when you’re leaving someone’s home, and it’s one of the simplest things people can do to help the space feel like home for all of us. Plus, I want to get to tell you to get back home safely, because I’m a dad at heart.
I hate it when customers: Beside the obvious disrespecting other patrons, staff, or the space, I hate it when people try to grab a drink out of my hand. It’s another small thing, but it’s because transferring a full glass from one person’s hand to another person’s is a recipe for spilling the drink. And I don’t want to spill the drink you just paid for. Let me set it down!
Craziest thing I’ve seen here: I always go back to Pride 2024 and the woman (bless her heart) who lost her wallet and, unprompted, proceeded to dig through a garbage can, only to realize it was in her fanny pack the whole time. But I was also puked on twice during my first month at Playhouse. And that was pretty wild!
Other places I’ve worked: I bartended at Fairytail for a moment in 2018, and spent 10 years bartending at a variety of Broadway shows, as well as at the Met Museum on the roof.
My hometown: Mascoutah, Illinois (though I technically come from the cornfields of Belleville, IL). It was very much like the TV show Smallville.
Stuff I do when I’m not bartending: I write and compose musical theatre, and enjoy seeing theatre when I can. And when the weather’s nice, I love taking a casual 22-mile roller skate around NYC.
Single or Taken: It’s pretty new, but I think it’s safe to say that I’m happily taken. 🙂
Who/what turns me on: Empathy will always be the hottest thing, but having an eclectic taste in interests and music is incredibly sexy.
Favorite music: I will always be a musical theatre girlie, but you can really turn on ANYTHING from Baroque to EDM, and there will be elements to it that I fall in love with. I really love music. Right now, I’ve gotten into Deutsche Popmusik (besonders Wincent Weiss, Nina Chuba, und AYLIVA, wenn du irgendwo anfangen müsstest)!
Favorite movie or TV show: Scream (the original, obvi) is my favorite film of all time… but so is Bring It On (also the original, because I’m sexy, I’m cute, I’m popular to boot).
Favorite drag queen: This list could be a mile and a half long, but Ruby Roo would probably fire me for not saying her.
My drag name would be: Karma San Diego (“Don’t look for me; I’ll find you”)… or Christy Anna Tea (it’d be VERY sacrilegious to help me work through my religious trauma)
Favorite gogo boy: Ed Charm is one of the sweetest people to work alongside of.
Favorite DJ: This list could also be a mile long, but I’ve known DJ Gingy for over a decade, and I do love that he is the Lawrence O’Keefe of DJs.
Other stuff you need to know about me: I’m not getting a second wing tattoo, no matter how many people tell me to 😉
Follow me on: Instagram
Tip me at: Venmo
Thotyssey 