Known for scoring high in Jersey, video game vixen Mia Moore is plugging into Brooklyn as well. [Cover photo: David M.C. Strange]
Thotyssey: Mia, hello! Thanks for chatting with us today! So how did you survive Halloween?
Mia Moore: Hi, hi! Thanks for having me, I’m still riding the sugar rush that helped me get through a month of costumes!
Now we’re tip toeing towards the holiday season… do you dig the fall vibes?
I live for it! Fall is my favorite season, and I’m already loving the chilly weather. It puts me in the right mood for some hot chocolate and spooky movie marathons.
Spooky Season Forever!
How might you describe your drag aesthetic and performing style these days?
I’ve been really leaning into my nerdy and comedic side lately–less sultry or dance-leaning compared to a lot of my earlier stuff, more silly and goofy! I started doing some video game themed performances around June and it’s been a blast, and I have even more drag cosplays on deck for the coming months that I’m really excited for.
What’s the best game, or who’s the best game character, to get drag treatment?
Oooh, that’s tough. I think of the ones I’ve done so far, my Rosalina look (with a Luma hand puppet) that I did for a Super Mario Galaxy show has been my favorite. But one I’m currently working on that I think might top it is GladOS from Portal! That one’s planned for a convention I’m performing at in January, so I’m really going hard on it.
You do a lot of stuff in Jersey, is that where you’re based and from?
Yep! I’m a North Jersey queen born and raised, and I’ve done shows all over the Garden State… but have a soft spot for my drag family’s home bar, QXTs! But I have to say, Brooklyn has been calling my name lately… and I’m looking to branch out more over there the more shows I do.
There’s coincidentally another queen named Mia Moore who’s based in NYC! That’s a potential hassle for you both–especially as you start to perform more in New York.
Yeah, I came across her on socials! It’s a good, punny name… so I can’t be surprised I’m not the only one. It’s definitely been in the back of my mind since we’re both trying to make a name for ourselves in overlapping scenes–and though she seems sickening from what I have seen, I think our drag styles are distinct enough from each other that there’s not too much confusion!
All I can really do is focus on my own character and my own craft, and keep building on that in hopes that my persona becomes so recognizable that I won’t be mistaken for another drag artist! All respect to her, and I wish her luck in her own drag journey.
You should do a show together!
That’s not a bad idea, actually! I feel like “Mia & Moore” would be a catchy title for a show!
How did your own drag journey begin?
The seed was definitely planted pre-Covid when I took a clown course in acting school, and my professor told me I should give drag a try sometime. I got the actual push a little over three years ago when waiting tables at a restaurant that hosted monthly drag brunches. I started working those shifts in drag, doing a tipped spot, then going back to work. Auditioning hadn’t been going well for me for a while at that point, and drag performance brought back that light in my life that I’d been missing.
Being a trans man who’s been out for a large part of my life, I’m no stranger to playing with gender expression and using makeup and styling to change peoples’ perception of me. So that, and my love of stage performance, felt like a natural progression into drag.
I’ve spoken to other trans men who do female presenting drag, and some have mentioned that it actually helps them understand their masculinity more fully. Do you find that to be true with you, or does your drag have nothing to do with your daily life identity?
I came out when I was 13 and I’m 27 now, so I’m fortunate enough that I’ve reached a point where I sometimes forget I’m even trans! Even before drag, I’ve always been the kind of guy that liked to paint my nails and cared about my hair and makeup–just in a very different way to my Mia presentation. I’ve always viewed my drag persona more as an OC that I’m cosplaying and acting as, rather than an extension of myself or just crossdressing. So though my own tastes and interests obviously influence Mia, my day-to-day demeanor, makeup, and style are so different from her that it’s never really given me dysphoria.
Though now that I’m saying it, I guess that does mean it’s helped me understand that maybe I’m not as feminine in my daily life as I once thought I was–since the difference is like night and day! It’s been very affirming for my gender identity when someone meets me out of drag for the first time after knowing me as Mia, and they don’t initially recognize me.
Bringing it back to Brooklyn and video games, you will be returning to the borough on November 9 for gamer HQ Wonderville’s “Variety Show Variety Party!”
That’s right! Toast and DJ Guilty Pleasures have been building an awesome community there with their variety parties that I’ve had the pleasure of being a part of. So this unthemed one is going to be a fun one for people who maybe have wanted to check those out, but couldn’t make the past ones. Some of us will bring back some of our past, best numbers and try out some new nerdy hits. But this is mostly just a way to keep building community with our fellow queer gamers, and nurturing the drag artists and performers that Wonderville has been platforming in their lovely arcade. The lineup has a lot of awesome performers that I can’t wait to see again, and I’m looking forward to twirling and gaming all night with the audience.
Have a great show! What else is coming up for you?
I’m going to be gracing the stage at Wonderville again in December for an Animal Crossing themed Christmas show that’ll be a fun push before the holiday season.
Great! Finally, what’s the most essential item in your drag bag, cosmetic or otherwise?
My clothing stitch gun… oh my God. It basically punches those little plastic tacks that are used to put price tags on clothes–but it comes in handy when there’s broken zippers, thigh highs that won’t stay up, prop headbands that won’t stay on a wig, and a million other wardrobe malfunctions! It goes to every gig with me, and I sing its praises everywhere I go! My friend needed fur trim added to a dress at a recent show, and I was basically able to stitch it around in a few minutes in the dressing room. It’s such a life saver!
Thanks, Mia!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for Mia Moore’s upcoming appearances, and follow them on Instagram.
