Drag and pageant royalty, tri-state queen Diva Divine Monroe will be living up to her name at Paradise this month. [Cover photo: Michael Rios]
Thotyssey: Hello Diva! I was wondering if you caught any of the Grammys on Sunday… and if so, did you have any take aways as far as awards, performances, looks, Sabrina Carpenter’s bird, Cher’s befuddlement, etc.?
Diva Divine Monroe: OMG, you are going to be so mad at me — I didn’t watch them this year. Take my card away, LMFAO! All I know is that Cher thought Luther Vandross came back from the dead, Gaga slayed, Addison Rae looked like she was doing the finale from All Stars 3, and Bad Bunny won. And this is all from TikTok!
That’s pretty much the gist! Musically, who or what are you into as far as your own personal enjoyment goes?
My range is a little all over the place, and I’m always scared to see my year in review from my listening platforms. I love artists like Beyoncé, Jessie J, James Arthur, Callum Scott, Rhianna, and Becky Hill. Then other artists that slip into my mix are Whitney Houston, Patti LaBelle, Deborah Cox, whatever drag mix I’m about to perform, etc.
What can you tell us about the style of your own drag, as far as looks and numbers go?
I like my drag to be high energy, exciting, and an escape for audience members who come to my shows! I love doing a good dance mix that wakes the crowd up. At my shows I always say the last two rules are to have fun, and forget about the seemingly dark world around us!
For looks, I like a big bouncy wig like a Sunny Deelite disco down and a bright dance costume with either fringe, sequins, stones, or all of the above.
Just what the doctor ordered! You also have a history with pageantry.
I do! I come from a drag family that loves doing pageants and I am your former Miss New Hope Celebrates 2024 as well as some local competition titles. I love pageants, as they show entertainers at their best! It allows big visions to come to life, and for some of the traditions of “old school drag” to stay alive! I love everything from competing, to dressing, to coordinating. I’m excited about stepping back into one very soon, as well as collaborating with New Hope Celebrates to plan this year’s event on Saturday, April 4th! I just had the honor of being asked to join their board!
Congratulations!
Your drag family are the royal Leighs and Monroes of New Jersey, right?
The Leighs and the Monroes are one and the same! Alexianna Leigh is Volkie Versace and Asia Monroe’s mother, and I am one of Asia’s kids with Nikita Sinnn, Ricky Suave, and our brother Jeff! Add in Cherri Sundae and Gigi the BAP (Volkie’s kids), and you pretty much have the whole family!
Is recent “Crystal Envy’s Diamond Race” contestant Mary Jane Monroe your child, by the way?
No, my tubes are tied at the moment, lol! Mary Jane is not a child of mine, but I consider her a sister in the community for sure!
Where are you from originally, what sort of art and performance influences did you grow up with, and ultimately how did you enter the drag world?
I am located right outside of Philly in New Hope, PA and grew up right up the river in the Morrisville / Yardley area. I was involved in theater growing up, so I was no stranger to the stage; that definitely influenced me a bit. Then in high school, I started watching Drag Race (what a cliche, lol) and went to my first shows in college.
After attending a “drive and drag” show outside at the end of Covid, my friends took me to New Hope saying there was a show right in our backyard. I for whatever dumb reason did not believe them, and we all had a blast that night. Then it became our bimonthly tradition of going to this show in New Hope, where I became the token audience member to play the game at intermission (usually a lip sync battle). After six months of that, the host put me in drag… and I’ve been performing ever since almost 4.5 years later!
I would say some of my biggest influences are Kennedy Davenport, Alyssa Edwards, Deena Cass, Reign Larue — a big variety of “old and new school references.”
What are the joys and challenges of drag in New Jersey and Pennsylvania?
Oh boy, what a question, lol! I would say a big joy and challenge of PA/NJ drag these days are how saturated the market has become! So many talented individuals wanting to share their talents with the world can become overwhelming at times, for sure! Unfortunately, there is only so many stages and safe spaces for us all.
But in the same note, the crowds in these areas love a show! I feel like I see new ones popping up all the time and everyone just wants a little extra sparkle in their life.
Sounds like a healthy scene! You have a bunch of gigs coming up at Paradise in Asbury Park. I was wondering when you first started performing there, and what’s great about doing shows there, in your opinion?
I love, love, love going to Paradise. After leaving a very unhealthy relationship with my first drag mother, Paradise was one of the first venues I performed in after the split. I started doing “Drag Wars” on Monday nights in 2022 with Miss Cee’Mour Cox, and I attribute a lot of my growth and success as a young queen to her and the team over at Paradise. With pop ins from other established queens like Aurora Van Wales, Jolina Jasmine, Victoria Courtez and Mancie Mandell. I always felt like there was such a history, knowledge, and skill set to learn and grow from.
The great thing about being at Paradise is they treat you like family! By far some of the best accommodations for their queens and entertainers in the tri state area. Outside of entertaining their staff are also like family. Jojo, Ryan, Jonny, Max, Kelly, and Michael are some of the reasons I’ve continued to go back over the last four or five years. You feel safe, you feel seen, and you can really feel the love. Moral of the story is: love my entire Paradise family!
Speaking of manager / bartender JoJo Crisci, his “JoJo’s Big Top Stripper Circus” birthday extravaganza will go down at Paradise this Friday, and you’re hosting!
We are celebrating Jojo’s birthday in the best way possible: a lot of strippers, a lot of drag, and a lot of partying! As a fellow winter birthday, the cold always seems to ruin the vibes… and this is the perfect cure! We are celebrating all night long with some of the hottest dancers in the area, and I’m definitely going to be twirling around as well! Jojo deserves the world, and I am honored to be part of his birthday celebrations and making the night as amazing as him!
And later that night, you’ll be joining Jolina as she guest hosts a special edition of “The Midnight Express” party / show there.
Yes! If getting to dance with strippers in the Big Top Circus wasn’t enough, I get to join family in the Copper Bar for “The Midnight Mystique!” A cherry on top of an already spectacular night!
Looking ahead to February 18, you’re returning to Paradise to star in “She / Herspray,” E. Licksher’s tribute to Hairspray!
Yes, I will be welcoming you all to the 60s with this amazing cast of entertainers as we put on the crowd favorite Hairspray! I will be playing Tracy, and can’t wait to belt out all these classics with you all. Tapping back into my theater roots a little, for sure! I’ll also be back in March with E.licksher for Shrek on March 18th.
Anything else coming up you?
I’m at Al’s Airport Inn in Ewing, NJ every last Wednesday for LGBTQIA+ Happy Hour and Trivia. New Hope Celebrates pageant is Saturday, April 4th. New Hope Pride Parade & Festival is Saturday, May 16th. Doylestown Pride is Saturday, June 20th.
Great! Okay lastly: who are your rooting for to win Drag Race this season!?
TS Madison… lol! I think Athena Dion and Juicy Love Dion have really been turning it out for sure! And I know she probably won’t win, but Kenya Pleaser has been entertaining me as well.
Agreed! Thanks, Diva!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for Diva Divine Monroe’s upcoming appearances, and follow her on Instagram.
Thotyssey 