SALEM ― The first thing that Miz Diamond Wigfall wants you to know about drag is that it’s political.
“If you’re not fitting into the mold or you’re not abiding by ‘a boy does this and the girl does this,’ it’s a ‘f**k you’ to society,” she said. “This is not me just getting pretty for you.”
Miz Diamond’s weekly show (Diamond’s Dine-In Drag Brunch) at Gulu-Gulu Cafe on Essex Street serves up her brazen personality with boozy games, guest performances, and a hefty side of opinions ― instead of shying away from hot topics, she’s been known to bring up former President Donald Trump, feminism, and queer issues while wearing a wig, false eyelashes, and heels.
Miz Diamond attributes her ability to speak her mind while slinging mimosas to the culture at Gulu-Gulu. The coffeehouse boasts not only rotating draughts and eclectic bites, but also an ever-updating art gallery and a performance space that has featured a multitude of local acts since its inception in 2005.
“I would say I’m a queer human being who just wants to help make sure that there’s places for people who want to feel loved and celebrated,” Miz Diamond said. “And that’s honestly what we’re doing at Gulu, and it’s been so amazing to be a part of that.”
Miz Diamond is Gulu-Gulu’s ― and the city’s ― first weekly drag performer, and her show has only been running since June 2021. She counts Britney Spears and Lady Gaga among her influences, and also admires drag as an art form because it’s about more than looking feminine.
“You can be a creature. You can be an alien. You can be something that you completely create on your own,” she said.
After graduating from the Boston Conservatory in 2016 and before returning to perform in her hometown of Salem, Miz Diamond was living in New York City, where she taught preschool dance by day and did drag by night.
“New York’s where I really started,” she said. “There’s a lot more to it there. I’ve met amazing people and I had such amazing, talented people at my disposal in New York, and I really appreciated having that kind of boot-camp time to figure out what a typical drag queen needs to do for her business and the tricks of the trade.”
New York shutting down due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought her home, but Miz Diamond also admitted that parts of NYC’s drag culture didn’t agree with her.
“In New York, there’s so much politics and … you could be the most talented person in the room, but if you didn’t bring a lot of people or you’re not wearing this (designer), you know, your talent can just be left aside,” she said. “Me being in the center of downtown Salem, outside with a microphone talking about queer rights (activist) Marsha P. Johnson during Pride (month), it’s kind of like I can do more. It feels like I can do what I set out to do more.”
While it may sometimes be overlooked in favor of Boston, Miz Diamond says Salem’s drag scene is on the rise and not to be missed. In addition to in-city shows at Gulu-Gulu, The Derby Restaurant, Opus, and Koto Grill & Sushi, drag fans can catch shows at art venues in Peabody and Beverly before having to hit the Sumner Tunnel.
As for Gulu-Gulu’s newly established drag show, Miz Diamond said that she and her host venue are a good match.
“There’s a lot of queer people that work there, it’s a very diverse staff, and they will always make all my guests feel great,” she said. “Everybody is respectful of pronouns. They put their money where their mouth is and I say that every week.”
“They make sure that there’s a drag show happening every single week and they pay me, they pay my guest, they take care of us,” Miz Diamond added. “It’s something that they want to invest in and see your return to.”
Miz Diamond says she gets a mix of drag regulars and the uninitiated in her audience — there are people in the audience every week who have never seen live drag, she added. As for the regulars, Gulu-Gulu being a safe space for artists and members of the queer community has made the place seem like “a little church.” Besides, she added, it’s free.
“I get my tips and that’s awesome, but we don’t charge a cover for this,” she said. “It’s not some once-in-a-lifetime event; it’s every single week.”
When the Item reached out to Miz Diamond, she was in the midst of a COVID-19-induced hiatus from performing. Gulu-Gulu closed down operations from Dec. 31 to Jan. 5, but has since reopened and resumed its events. Miz Diamond ultimately missed three of her Sunday shows (“you can’t really do drag if your mouth is covered”), but will be back on Jan. 23.
“It, for lack of a better word, sucks, because I’ve been through this and now (it’s) the second time everything gets canceled,” she said. “It feels like it’s the end of the world for performers or people who are based off of gigs.”
Even before she knew when she’d be returning to the Gulu-Gulu stage, Miz Diamond had a sense she wouldn’t be idle for long. Not one for “digital drag,” Miz Diamond’s version of the COVID pivot does not involve many virtual shows, but she mentioned future collaborations with local costume designer Stephanie Voyer of Savor Designs. In addition to designing some of Miz Diamond’s performance outfits, Voyer also designs witch hats and bespoke face masks.
Miz Diamond also hinted at being in talks with nearby venues about setting up future, local drag nights.
“Drag can be literally anywhere, like in a coffee shop, anywhere ― It’s a very accessible thing,” she explained. “I have seen other places in Lynn and Revere now with smaller shows starting up.”
“It’s not that hard to put up, you know,” she added. “I need a DJ set, (and) I need someone to push play.”
