“San Francisco has become a city that’s known for its crazily high housing prices… Donna, Collette and Olivia are reminders of what the city used to be like before well-moneyed interlopers began to insist San Francisco get its act together and settle into respectability.” The Washington Post

Aunt Charlie’s Lounge opened twenty nine years ago when the Tenderloin was full of gay bars. Now it’s one of the last neighborhood gay dive bars in the city. Throughout the years, Aunt Charlie’s has hosted many of SF’s finest drag queens. On February 24th, join us for a celebration of Aunt Charlie’s history, legacy, and continued existence. 

James Hosking is an artist who directed the documentary film and photo series "Beautiful By Night." The film follows three older drag entertainers at Aunt Charlie's over the course of one evening. After a screening of the film James Hosking and cinematographer Vanessa Carr will lead a discussion with subjects Donna Personna, Collette LeGrande and Olivia Hart, who will also dazzle us with drag performances. Later in the evening, join us for an official after-party at Aunt Charlie’s, and catch Collette LeGrande's Dream Queens Revue Drag Show at 9:30pm.

"Beautiful By Night" was shot by Vanessa Carr, has screened at the 2015 Boston LGBT Film Festival, Frameline, and other festivals. It received a Platinum Award from the 2015 Spotlight Documentary Film Awards and was chosen by Vimeo as a Staff Pick. The film was produced in conjunction with an article in Out magazine that appeared in the September 2014 issue, written by journalist and SF Weekly editor Jeremy Lybarger.

This event is sponsored by our neighbors Zendesk and Zoosk.

More on James:
James Hosking is a photographer and filmmaker based in San Francisco. His photography has been featured in Port, Out, Mother Jones, and other publications. He is currently working on a documentary about the San Francisco Night Ministry with Vanessa Carr and Jeremy Lybarger.

More on Donna:
Donna Personna is an artist and performer, first hitting the stage with the legendary Cockettes. She was the subject of the 2013 Iris Prize-winning short “My Mother,” by Jay Bedwani. She serves on the board of directors committees for Trans March and the Transgender Day of Remembrance, working to gain wider visibility for transgender rights.

More on Olivia:
Olivia Hart is a chef by day and performer by night. She is the current Grand Duchess of the Ducal Court of San Francisco. She has organized and hosted numerous events to benefit the LGBT community and, in particular, organizations that support addiction recovery and sober living.

More on Collette:
Collette LeGrande is the twice former Grand Duchess of the Ducal Court of San Francisco and the current heir apparent to the Queen Mother of the Americas. She has raised funds for charity in the Tenderloin for 30 years, supporting AIDS Emergency Fund, Magnet, Mama Reinhardt's Toys for Tots, and many others. She has worked at Aunt Charlie’s since 1998 and organizes her own bi-weekly drag show, the Dream Queens Revue.

Event Details:
Tenderloin Museum
398 Eddy Street (@ Leavenworth)
Reception at 6:30pm, Program at 7pm
$10

Official After-Party
Aunt Charlie’s Lounge
133 Turk Street (@ Taylor)
The Dream Queens Revue
Drag Show
Free - 9:30PM