While stuck in a hospital bed awaiting surgery, writer-performer Les Kurkendaal-Barrett read an online article about William Dorsey Swann, the first Black drag queen and queer activist on record in USA. That discovery launched Les into an anesthesia-fueled trip back through time to the late 1800s, when Swann was the Queen of Washington, D.C.’s homosexual community, until she was busted for running a brothel.
Popping the Glinda-like self-protective bubble that Les uses to hide from the realities of racism and homophobia, Swann shares the story of his rise from slavery to high society and subsequent fall. Swann’s resilience and unshakable sense of self-worth stands as an inspiration for both Les, who is still haunted by his elementary-school humiliations, as well as the audience.
Under Tom Trudgeon’s unobtrusive direction, this petite yet powerful performer slips into Swann’s imposing shoes and silks, transforming his vocal register to deliver cutting observations in her richly resonant voice. The tragedy of Trayvon Martin, the trauma of “driving while Black,” and the trap of alcohol abuse all interweave with childhood memories of the Wizard of Oz in Les’ agonizing autobiographical on-stage essay, which distills more than a century of queer revolutions into a moving remembrance of an overlooked trailblazer.
This solo show sometimes seems a little too overstuffed with a wide range of racism-related anecdotes, and might benefit from a tighter focus on its fascinating central character. But it does eventually build up to an impassioned conclusion, as Swann strikes back against his culture’s oppression. It’s sad to see we’re still fighting the same battles so many generations later, but Les’s touching tribute to Swann’s courage stands as testament that queer Black lives do matter.
The Real Black Swann: Confessions of America’s First Black Drag Queen
Blue Venue, Lowndes Shakespeare Center
60 minutes; 13 & up
$15
Get tickets
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This article appears in May 14-20, 2025.