There are ten commandments for the Chapel Beauty Show: Thou shalt pay the dolls, thou shalt respect the dolls, thou shalt pamper, thou shalt protect, thou shalt uplift, thou shalt feed, thou shalt love, thou shalt comfort, thou shalt praise, and thou shalt worship the dolls! At your first show you might think the captivating trio of hosts Miss He, Ivy, and Minty are the dolls in question. However, the Chapel Beauty Show is bigger than them. The show was meant to be and has become a sanctuary for all the Black trans dolls of East Atlanta and beyond. With the recent closing of the Chapel Beauty Show’s venue, Noni’s Deli, the dolls are in need of a new sanctuary. Miss He, Ivy, and Minty sat down with Georgia Voice to discuss their year of growth and success, the congregation they do it for, and the search for a new home.
The Chapel Beauty Show could still be considered fairly new, having come together for the first show in July 2022. However, the show has established itself as a cornerstone of the community. Chapel Beauty finished a very close runner-up for Wussy Magazine’s Peachies award for Favorite Drag Show while not yet a year old, and the team had seven nominations overall. It would not be a stretch to say that almost every show this year has been a hit. The 420 show, Mother’s Day, Juneteenth, The Roast of Miss He, and the Pride Day Party were just a few examples of the array of shows that have left a lasting impression on the year. It has been clear that what Chapel has to offer is what the community has needed.
Early in 2022, Miss He was the reigning Misc. Edgewood pageant winner, and Noni’s Deli was interested in having her host a recurring show there. She did not want to be the host of just another show; she wanted the show to have a purpose.
“There would be no drag without Black trans people,” Miss He said, and spaces had not been holding Black trans people on the pedestal that they deserved.
At around the same…
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