By Kevin Ferrisi –
From the Hartford Harlettes to Imperial Legacy, Morgana de Luxe and her colorful career championing drag as a vibrant art form has empowered her to embrace her truest self. Morgana’s contributions to the LGBTQ community were recently recognized this year with the prestigious Jose Honor, a significant award named after Jose Julio Sarria, the trailblazing founder of the Imperial Court system and the first openly gay person to run for political office in 1965. This honor, reserved for those who have made impactful contributions to LGBTQ advocacy and visibility, celebrated Morgana’s dedication and service within the Imperial Court. Her commitment to supporting and uplifting her community resonates with the legacy of Jose, a symbol of courage and leadership for generations.
Morgana de Luxe first did drag as a cheerleader when she was a sophomore in college, back in the early ’80s. Fast forward to 1987, Halloween that year, she and two friends decided to go to a party at the LGBTQ Center in New York City, which held events once a month. On Labor Day, they had made a pact to attend the party in drag, agreeing to grow their hair out as part of the costume for extra humor. As the date approached, her friends’ plans fell through – one had to move and the other had a job interview and both needed a haircut. But she stuck with the plan, using her real hair for the costume. On the night of the party, one of them resembled Elvira, Morgana looked like someone’s great aunt at a bar mitzvah, and the last channeled Alexis Carrington from the ’80s. When they entered the costume contest, they were humorously announced as the “Harlettes from Hartford.”
In 1991, the Hartford Harlettes officially started. At the time, Morgana was coaching agricultural cheerleading, and a friend who had visited LA suggested they recreate something like the West Hollywood cheerleaders. He asked if she could get her hands on some skirts and pom-poms, and she knew she could. The school where she coached hadn’t cleaned out its cheerleading closet since the 70s, so she had access to a stash of old, larger skirts. Morgana gathered four sets of pom-poms, the kind that were massive back then. Her skirt barely covered her, stopping just at the end of her backside, and under it, she wore trunks similar to what cheerleaders used at the time – brief bottoms that offered little coverage when jumping. The group took their look to Nick’s Cafe in Hartford for a Halloween costume contest. The Harlettes won for the most original costume, thanks to their playful energy and the nostalgia of those vintage cheerleading outfits.
At the beginning of the year, the Northeast Ursamen were hosting a Super Bowl party at Nick’s Cafe, and they invited the Hartford Harlettes to come and cheer for them. Morgana and the Harlettes made up some goofy cheers, performing with enthusiasm despite the fact that three out of the four members had beards. Morgana was the only one without one, and as she liked to say, she was the “pretty one.” The Harlettes began gaining attention, and soon after, people were asking them to perform at fundraisers. Their first uniforms were simple sweatshirts they had hand-stenciled, but by June for Pride, they upgraded to new and improved outfits. One of the Harlettes even went to a sporting goods store, telling a fib that they were a group of men performing in a variety show, and managed to get custom silk screened t-shirts and better-fitting skirts.
The Harlettes continued performing from 1991 until around 1996, when Nick’s Cafe hired them to do their own New Year’s Eve show. Knowing they needed more than just a pom-pom routine, she took charge, creating a ballet number. The routine featured six members dressed in white tights, white tutus, and leotards, with their hairy, overweight frames proudly on display. They topped it off with fun Halloween-style tiaras in their hair, bringing a mix of humor and creativity to the stage that kept the audience entertained. The contrast between their bulky frames and the delicate ballet attire, paired with the playful modesty of boxer shorts, made the routine even funnier and left the crowd in stitches.
After the Harlettes’ successful New Year’s Eve show, they performed at the Hartford Gay and Lesbian Community Center, which hosted a fundraiser called Project One Hundred every January. In 1997, the Harlettes took the stage for the event, and it was during that time that she was encouraged to join the Imperial Sovereign Court of All Connecticut. The Court was preparing for its annual Coronation, with a new emperor stepping up, and she was urged to join. At the time, she was unemployed and didn’t initially join, but later that summer, she attended the opening of the old Polo Club. The owners, who had seen her perform at the cabaret, offered her a job on the spot. However, she was already working at Nick’s Cafe, and with the two bars being in close competition just blocks away from each other, she ultimately left Nick’s Cafe. At first, she hesitated to work at the Polo Club because the performers also acted as cocktail waitresses between shows, a role she didn’t see herself doing. But by July, when she returned, that practice had stopped, and she became part of the original cast of Simply Divas at the Polo Club.
Originally, her Harlette name was Trixie, but that changed thanks to a friend who jokingly said one day, “We’re going on the road, and you’re Morgana de Luxe, and I’ll be Beatrix Coal,” a playful take on his name, Bruce Black. The name “Morgana” started sticking back in 1984, when people began calling her that because her last name was Morgan. They simply added an “a” to it, inspired by the character Morgana from the movie Excalibur, which had come out in the ’80s. In the film, Helen Mirren played Arthur’s sister, Morgana Le Fay, and that connection added an air of mystique and elegance to the name. Her friend then added “de Luxe,” giving her a grander, more glamorous stage persona. When she started working at the Polo Club, she embraced the name Morgana de Luxe, marking the true beginning of her professional drag career.
Drag had changed so much since she first started. While she still called herself a drag queen, the term “drag artist” felt more fitting in recent years because of how much the art form had evolved. In her earlier years, she was a dancer and could do cartwheels, toe touches, and other acrobatic moves. Now, in her 60s, those days were behind her. Morgana considered herself more of a dancing comedy queen back then, even incorporating tap into her performances, often wearing Mary Jane tap shoes. When performing at the Polo Club, she would put together group routines, including a number from Gypsy, where she played Baby June and performed ‘Let Me Entertain You’. Working at the Polo Club was not only a creative outlet but also a great source of income, and she stayed there for four or five years. Eventually, after getting the job in 1997, she joined the Imperial Sovereign Court of All Connecticut – at the time called Imperial Court of Connecticut, The Nutmeg Empire – where she shifted her focus to fundraising efforts. Over the years, Morgana continued to perform gigs, but her involvement with the Court became a central part of her drag career.
Morgana described her drag style as old-school classic, a nod to the early days of what was once called “the art of female impersonation.” When she first started, that traditional style of drag was all about embodying iconic women, and she embraced it fully. Over the years, she had impersonated legends like Cher, even once as Cher on a Krispy Kreme donut, back when she had a fuller figure. She had also embodied Divine and Bette Midler, playing with the bold, larger-than-life personalities of these icons. But as time went on, Morgana simplified her approach, spending less time on intricate makeup. These days, she often jokes that she looks like her mother – just with exaggerated makeup and false eyelashes. When she is fully made up, the resemblance to her mother is uncanny, except she carries it with a glamorous twist.
Currently, Morgana is part of the Darling Divas, a group of four drag performers, all over the age of 50, who bring their fabulous energy to drag bingos and shows. Whether they are the entertainment at drag dinners or hosting bingo events, the Darling Divas have a flair for making every event fun and engaging. They have performed at various venues, including Stony Creek and The Stand in Branford, mixing humor, drag, and prizes. Because they use bingo as a fundraising tool, they can’t give cash prizes, so they work with businesses to get gift cards and other donated items. The Darling Divas have been performing together since January 2023, and their performances brought joy to audiences while raising money for different causes. The name was inspired by their desire to embrace their age and charm, following a “Golden Girls” vibe – though they couldn’t use that exact title, they settled on Darling Divas, because they were, in fact, darling. The group came together after a congregational church in Madison reached out to her spouse, who also performed as a drag artist under the name Mini Deluxe, a name she chose during the era when Austin Powers was huge and Morgana herself weighed 150 pounds more.
At 63 years old, she feels exhilarated to still be performing, especially in an art form that brings her such joy. With a degree in theater, she has always been passionate about her craft. When she began working at the Polo Club, the director of TheaterWorks praised her for developing the character Morgana, remarking on how it seemed like she had brought a unique persona to life. Morgana had become a part of her, almost like a separate entity that she often spoke about as if she were a real person. She fondly recalled meeting Ethel de Luxe at one of their monthly beer bashes; Ethel is the child of friends of her spouse’s and had come with a group of people. In a playful moment, she had declared, “You look like an Ethel,” inspired by the spirit of the occasion. The name struck her as charming and distinct, something you rarely heard these days. From that moment on, Ethel embraced the name wholeheartedly, and it had stuck with her ever since, adding another layer of connection and creativity to their shared drag community becoming Morgana’s drag daughter.
Throughout her journey in drag, she cherished several memorable achievements. The first was the incredible moment when she met Harvey Fierstein at a fundraiser in Connecticut in the summer of 1997. The Harlettes had been invited to perform, and Harvey, who was emceeing the event, greeted her warmly backstage. Clad in her cheerleading uniform and a tutu, Morgana felt a rush of excitement as she introduced herself. A year later, she was invited to perform at another benefit for a political campaign, where she crossed paths with Harvey once again. To her astonishment, he recognized her and exclaimed, “I’ve met you before!” It was a surreal moment for her, feeling a connection with such an iconic figure. Fast forward to when she marched in the Pride parade in New York while sporting her army uniform. As she stepped out of a cab, she heard that unmistakable voice calling out, “Leave it to you to be late!” It was Harvey again, making her feel both giddy and starstruck.
In 2013, during her reign as Empress of the Imperial Sovereign Court of All Connecticut, she experienced one of the most profound moments of her life at the True Colors Conference. At the end of the event, she and fellow performers put on a show for the youth in attendance, helping to transform them into dazzling drag artists. As the spirit moved her, she seized the microphone and addressed the audience, proclaiming, “I’m old enough to be your parent, and in some cases, your grandparent.” She shared her journey, recounting the bullying she faced as a child, the painful memories of being shoved into lockers, and the day she walked to her car after driving her godmother to an event. It was a simple act of walking that had turned into a painful memory when someone yelled a slur at her from a passing car. She emphasized her message of resilience, stating, “I’m living proof it gets better.” In that moment, standing in front of those young faces, she could feel the weight of her words and the impact they had on the crowd. When the audience erupted into applause and gave her a standing ovation, she felt overwhelmed with emotion. It was a moment she would cherish forever.
Drag has taught her to embrace her true self in ways she never imagined possible. As she grew older, she found herself reflecting on her identity, especially after watching the Barbie movie, which sparked a deep introspection about her femininity and the expectations placed upon her. Growing up, she had been a feminine boy, delighting in activities and toys traditionally associated with girls, like playing with Barbies. This realization led her to share her thoughts with her spouse, expressing uncertainty about her identity. Through drag, she discovered the freedom to express her feminine side as Morgana while also celebrating her identity as Michael. As she matured, she felt more comfortable painting her nails and wearing jewelry, fully embracing her authentic self. This journey in drag allowed her to blend her worlds, ultimately leading to a newfound confidence in being unapologetically herself.
As she looked toward the future, she envisioned ambitious goals that sparked her creativity and passion for performance. One of her dreams was to have her own show, which she would aptly name “De Luxe and Friends”. In this showcase, she imagined curating a vibrant cast to join her on stage for an evening filled with song, dance, and laughter, creating a space where artists could shine and connect with the audience. This aspiration wasn’t just about performing; it was about leaving a lasting legacy in the drag community, inspiring others and celebrating the art form she cherished. With each step she took toward this dream, she felt a sense of purpose, determined to make her mark and share her joy with the world.
Read more about the Imperial Sovereign Court of All Connecticut
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