Bolivia Carmichaels

Daniel P. Elliott, known professionally as Bolivia Carmichaels, is an American drag performer based in Portland, Oregon. Since 1995, she has performed at LGBT establishments such as CC Slaughters, Darcelle XV Showplace, and the defunct Embers Avenue, and has also participated in many community events.

Bolivia Carmichaels
Bolivia Carmichaels performing at CC Slaughters in Portland, Oregon, in 2021
Born
Daniel P. Elliott
OccupationDrag performer
Years active1995–present

Early life

Daniel P. Elliott was raised in Portland, Oregon and was aware he was queer at a young age. He enjoyed theater and played the trumpet. At 18, Elliott frequented City Nightclub, described by Crystal Ligori of Oregon Public Broadcasting as a "haven" for LGBT youth in Portland during the 1980s and 1990s.[1]

Drag career

Elliott's drag persona[2] Bolivia Carmichaels was created at City Nightclub. Since 1995, she has performed at the LGBT establishments CC Slaughters, Darcelle XV Showplace, and the now-closed Embers Avenue.[1] By 2020, she had been a drag host and emcee at CC Slaughters for 16 years.[3] She has also competed in La Femme Magnifique International Pageant, performed at the annual variety show Peacock in the Park, and hosted a radio program.[4]

In 2016, Bolivia Carmichaels served as a judge at the Schlittentag, a Red Bull-sponsored event at Mount Hood's Skibowl in Government Camp.[5] She also hosted the farewell celebration when Blue Collar Baking closed.[6] She was part of Darcelle XV Showplace's cast, as of 2017.[7] She performed at CC Slaughters' weekly Superstar Diva MegaShow and other dance events, as of 2017–2021. Andrew Jankowski of the Portland State Vanguard and Willamette Week has described the Superstar Diva MegaShow as one of the city's longest running drag shows with "self-expressive takes" on comediennes, celebrities, and Disney villains, among other figures.[8][9] In 2019, he wrote, "Darcelle's is the go-to place for the most traditional style of drag: heavy makeup, classic gowns, and groan-worthy jokes from some of Portland's finest queens", including Bolivia Carmichaels, Darcelle XV, and Poison Waters.[10]

Bolivia Carmichaels at CC Slaughters in 2022

In 2019, Bolivia Carmichaels officiated a mock wedding between a man and his boyfriend fabricated from wine boxes at an event benefiting the Oregon chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.[11] She also performed at the Kona Pride Festival, impersonating Reba McEntire.[12] Bolivia Carmichaels received the Imperial Sovereign Rose Court of Oregon's 2019 Spirit of Crown Prince Roc Award, which is presented to individuals who influence the community via activism and performance.[13]

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she performed in a virtual drag show hosted by the University of Oregon's LGBTQA3 Alliance. The Daily Emerald's Drew York wrote, "A longtime queen with a history of community outreach, Bolivia Carmichaels gave a multi-faceted performance, dressed in a velvety purple gown and lip-synching a duet to 'A Whole New World' with a puppet. Carmichaels allowed her hobby of puppeteering to take center stage, and it certainly had humorous moments."[14] She also performed via Drag Delivered, providing socially distanced performances to benefit a local nonprofit organization,[15][16] and at Shine Distillery and Grill's Drag Thru, allowing patrons to view drag performances during take-out service.[17][18] The popular Drag Thru series returned in 2021, with Bolivia Carmichaels participating.[19] She also co-hosted Oregon Children's Theatre's virtual gala in 2021.[20][21]

Personal life

Bolivia Carmichaels' preferred gender pronouns are she/her.[22]

See also

References
  1. Ligori, Crystal (November 6, 2020). "The disappearance of queer spaces in Portland". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  2. Swindler, Samantha (June 24, 2018). "When drag comes to a retirement community, that's progress". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on April 19, 2022. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  3. Villareal, Daniel (December 18, 2020). "CC Slaughters Was Born in a Pandemic — And That's How it Ended". Them. Archived from the original on April 18, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  4. Houston, Shitney; Borgen, Daniel (July–August 2015). "The Many Faces (and Passions) of Bolivia Carmichaels". PQ Monthly. pp. 4–5. Archived from the original on May 9, 2022. Retrieved May 9, 2022.
  5. Vondersmith, Jason (March 21, 2016). "Slip sliding into spring". Portland Tribune. Pamplin Media Group. Archived from the original on April 19, 2022. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  6. Bamman, Mattie John (December 2, 2016). "Blue Collar Baking Bakes Final Bundt Cake". Eater Portland. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 2021-12-29. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  7. Jankowski, Andrew D. (November 7, 2017). "Drag Queens, Former Mayor Remember LGBTQ Icon". Portland State Vanguard. Archived from the original on May 9, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  8. Jankowski, Andrew D. (June 15, 2017). "Your guide to Portland LGBTQ+ Pride Weekend 2017". Portland State Vanguard. Archived from the original on March 7, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  9. Jankowski, Andrew (June 1, 2021). "A Portland Pride Events Guide". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  10. Jankowski, Andrew (May 21, 2019). "The Best in LGBTQ+ Nightlife, Bars, Parties, Comedy, and More". Portland Mercury. Archived from the original on December 8, 2020. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  11. Acker, Lizzy (January 29, 2019). "This Portland man is marrying a boyfriend he made out of trash (and you're invited)". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  12. Jensen, Chelsea (September 13, 2019). "'Spread Your Wings With Pride': Kona Pride Weekend returns". West Hawaii Today. Archived from the original on September 14, 2019. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  13. "The Spirit of Crown Prince Roc Award". Imperial Sovereign Rose Court of Oregon. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  14. York, Drew (March 9, 2021). "UO's remote drag show was anything but a drag". Daily Emerald. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  15. Jankowski, Andrew (June 10, 2020). "A Calendar of (Mostly) Digital Events for a Socially Distant Pride". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  16. Dawn, Eden (April 30, 2020). "Get a Drag Queen Performance Delivered to Your House". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on January 14, 2022. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  17. Gormley, Shannon (November 17, 2020). "A Portland Restaurant and Distillery Is Opening a Drive-Thru With Drag Performances". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on May 12, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  18. Nakamura, Beth. "Shine's Distillery & Grill offers "Drag Thru" takeout and drag show in Portland". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on November 22, 2020. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  19. Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (December 3, 2021). "Hawthorne Is Now Home to a Cafe Screening Movies All Day, Every Day". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on December 3, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  20. Cristi, A.A. (August 25, 2021). "Oregon Children's Theatre Announces With a Little Help from Our Friends Virtual Gala". BroadwayWorld. Archived from the original on August 26, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  21. "OCT Virtual Gala". The Southeast Examiner. September 1, 2021. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  22. "What Does Pride Mean to You?". Willamette Week. June 12, 2019. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
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