Check Out August Celestial’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to August Celestial. 

Hi August, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have been performing in drag for almost five years. I started out in Bloomington, IN, working as the stage manager for The Back Door, our local queer bar. My first time in drag was during a turnabout show. I performed a parody version of Stacy’s Mom, titled Stacy’s Dad, and, of course, Man I Feel Like a Woman by Shania Twain. Drag has taken me on a journey of gender self-expression, glamour, and sore muscles. I have performed for crowds adorned in cosplay at anime cons, those cheering at their first Pride in small-town Indiana, and those cheering in local queer bars across multiple states. I have a fond memory of performing for the first Pride in Columbus, Indiana. What started as a school project turned into an event attended by people across the country because this is where famous bigot Mike Pence was born. Through drag, I have learned to sew, cultivated a powerful stage presence, and developed a community of brilliant and talented artists that have become some of my closest friends. Drag has impacted not only my artistic life but also my academic career. To graduate with my Master’s in Drama Therapy, I researched the idea that drag was a form of drama therapy. I expanded on that research at the Don Kelly Collection at Texas A&M University, where I was invited as a fellow to conduct research on drag as Theatre of the Oppressed. I (coincidentally) moved to Denver in August, where I have been able to perform at such exceptional establishments like Lucid, #Vybe, XBar, Blush and Blu, and Kind Love Dispensary. I have met such a wide variety of amazing artists and developed a new community. I plan to utilize my drag experiences as I build programming for The Center on Colfax as the Coordinator of Elder and Disability Services. I have been so grateful to be in this fantastic city, and I look forward to all the amazing opportunities it offers me! 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It sounds cliche at this point but the pandemic was difficult, not only for the reasons we all experienced but also because I lost all opportunity to perform for nearly an entire year. You don’t know how much you value something until you’ve lost it. During this time, I found I was able to reconnect with my art by sewing, lip-syncing in the mirror, and planning all the things I would do when I had the opportunity to return to the stage. But if there is something you cannot replicate, it is being in intimate spaces with cheering crowds as you twirl onstage. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
So, I was recently hired as the Coordinator of Elder and Disability Services at The Center on Colfax. I am incredibly excited to bring my experience as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist and as an MA in Drama Therapy to benefit our LGBTQ+ elders and those with disabilities. There has not been a program for LGBTQ+ people with disabilities before at The Center and I am getting to create the program from the ground up. I am proud that I have spent my professional career in the service of others and have dreamed of being able to serve my queer community in a meaningful way. I plan to bring my experiences as a drag artist, therapist, and theatre professional to this position. 

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I think there is a risk in being authentic about myself as a performer. I have never been what people stereotypically think of when they think of drag. For the first several years of my artistic journey, I never wore wigs, except for some minor cosplays. In drag, I go by they/them and truly embrace my non-binary nature. As I have found, that comes with a level of risk because I am doing something different and there are those who don’t view it as drag. There are those who will only accept drag that is female-presenting, with pads and wigs and the whole nine yards. So, I run the risk of being dismissed as a drag artist because I don’t conform to certain standards, and there are times when people have dismissed me. However, without the risk of true self-expression, I know that I would not have made it as far as I have in drag. People might not always understand what I am doing but most cannot deny that they are entertained. 

Contact Info:

• Email: bryantmehay@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/august.celestial/?hl=en