She’s the King of Brooklyn.
A 70-year-old playwright and self-proclaimed “drag king” took residence the crown final week on the Huge Apple’s first-ever all-ages, all-gender magnificence pageant — a title she received because of a singing efficiency that left judges teary-eyed.
Denise “Mistah” Coles was topped the inaugural “Brooklyn Community Kitchen Monarch,” an honor she hopes to share with older residents throughout the 5 boroughs.
“Being a person of an older age, we have to be understood. We’re not being put out to pasture because we’re a little bit older. I have a lot to offer,” mentioned Coles, of Ozone Park.
The bottom-breaking pageant was hosted by, and in honor of, Brooklyn Neighborhood Kitchen, a three-decade-old soup kitchen in Greenpoint.
“I knew it was going to be a ball, that we were going to have fun. I really did not expect to be winning anything, but I did,” mentioned Coles, who has written and executed 4 off-Broadway performs.
Coles was one among eleven contestants for the pageant, which organizers mentioned adopted a proper format, together with interview segments, night apparel and a expertise portion.
Contenders sang, danced and even rode a pretend bull — however Coles stole the present when she took the stage as a “drag king,” which is a feminine performer wearing a masculine outfit. Her’s even included a painted-on beard.
She wowed the group as she belted out “I Know Where I’ve Been,” the long-lasting track about racial equality from the “Hairspray” soundtrack.
“I’ve been singing it for years and will continue to sing it until I don’t have to sing it anymore,” Coles mentioned.
“To start with I’ve [trousers] and every little thing else, and by the tip of the track that I sing, I’m in a crimson costume, crimson wig, lipstick.
“And I got a standing ovation, believe it or not.”
At that second, the complete room knew Coles had cinched the crown — besides Coles herself.
The songstress was apparently blind to the stage presence that oozed out of her — she earned the nickname “Mistah” after gaining a status for her notorious management working behind the scenes. Satirically, it had nothing to do along with her drag king performances.
“Mistah is a really special person who had a real vitality to them, and that really came through,” Thomas Tomczak, Brooklyn Neighborhood Kitchen’s board secretary, instructed The Publish.
The inaugural occasion was fully offered out, and donations for Brooklyn Neighborhood Kitchen continued to pour in nicely after the lights on the stage had been dimmed.
“The intention was always to support this really great cause and have some fun, and we were able to do that with this group of people that we were so lucky to find,” mentioned Simone Tetteh, the group’s board president.
“It was a real example of community at work.”
As for Coles, she plans to proceed singing and performing for so long as potential, now with a crown on her head, the wonder queen mentioned.
“I think you [should] look at life like it’s yours and be happy. You gotta let things go — people hang on to stuff that bothers them. To me, that eats away at you inside. Don’t do that.”
