Her Royal Highness, Brittany Michaels and the Imperial Court

The Imperial Empire of the Rocky Mountain Empire has been a staple in Colorado and the surrounding area since the 70s, much like OUT FRONT itself. The queens who have been with the Court since early days have literally seen the entire scene, and city, change before their eyes. From things like representation and drag etiquette to legality and urban development, it’s a whole different world, but a lot of these players are still in the game. We caught up with amazing local queen Brittany Michaels, Empress 17 and Princess Royal 15 of the Imperial Court, about her life in drag and what her, and the Court’s, journey has been all about.

How did you get started doing drag?
I was 19, and me and my partner at the time would go bars here that would do drag shows on Thursdays and Fridays. We would sneak in because we were underage, and we met some of the local queens, and it kind of evolved from there. Halloween is when drag is born for 90 percent of queens, and I was no different. I had befriended Nina Montaldo, and she put me in drag for Halloween. That’s kind of how it started. I never even thought of pursuing it; it was just something I did in the moment, but it stuck.

What were some of the main differences back then versus now?
Colorado law the regulation was  still that if you were doing drag, you still had to have male clothing underneath. It was the early 80s. And on top of all that, you were dealing with the AIDS crisis and friends dying, but you still had to navigate society and try to fit in. But on the other hand, nobody really had a preconceived idea of who you were back then. You didn’t have to be this kind of queen or that kind of queen; it was more a matter of how you see yourself.

So there was a lot more of a chance to make your own path?
Because there wasn’t so much opportunity, you really had to make yourself a commodity back then. Back then, you couldn’t go into a lot of bars if you had a dress on or if you had open-toed shoes. But there were so many bars that wanted drag and so few of us, so they kind of had the pick of the litter.

Related article: Imperial Court of the Rocky Mountain Empire 

Why did being a part of the Imperial Court appeal to you?
We do a lot to give back, and we have a great scholarship program for higher education. It’s been going on 20-some years, and we’ve given out, on an average, every year in those 20 years, $20,000 and $40,000. And even though we are a nonprofit, we helped other nonprofits in their times of need. But we don’t celebrate what we do, how we partner. And I think that is one thing we’re missing.

What can the court do better today to help stay relevant?
Our group needs to really look inward at how we get that message out. We’re not just running around in drag; it’s a lot more than that. But we can also be our own worst enemy. There’s infighting, and I don’t think we do any ourselves a benefit keeping things quiet. I think we need to publicize the Court more; promote it; try to get new people involved, or get some of these other, newer charities involved. We also need new people, new blood, because that’s how we keep going.

Do you think it was a little easier back in the day to spread the word about things and keep the drag scene connected?
Years ago, the bars were all working as one as part of the Tavern Guild. So, you could publicize multiple events in one bar that was taking place at another bar. Now, you can’t do that; like, I can’t hang something at Mary’s that I’m doing at Charlie’s. And so many bars have in-house queens, which is great, but then that limits who can do what at certain venues.

What is special about the Imperial Court and the bonds it has created?
The court has always helped in a big way because it has always been a team effort as far getting anything done. And we lean on each other; we are friends outside of just that world. A lot of us have been friends for 30-plus years.

What advice would you give to a new performer?
I always tell them that hopefully, they will establish those friendships that are lifelong. Don’t isolate your relationship to the dressing room; find some common goal. You’d be surprised what you all have in common. Talk a little about more than just performing, and you’ll see that you really connect.

Photo by Brian Degenfelder