bio
As a teenager I began experimenting with make-up and costuming. I hung out at Punk rock bars and New Wave clubs in Detroit. I was always questioned and searched by customs when driving across the border.
I went on to complete my B.A. in Theatre at the University of Montreal.
I came to NYC in the mid-eighties to work on my M..F.A. in Theatre. I became friendly with Sister Dimension and Hattie Hathaway who used to run the Pyramid Club. Drag became a passion and an obsession. The first drag queen to ever inspire me was Ethyl Eichelberger who was a Pyramid staple. She always wore exaggerated theatrical make-up, crazy outfits and wild wigs and high, high heels. She also gave me my first package of face glitter and my first tube of liquid eyeliner. Those two items have remained mainstays of my make-up regimen. Sister Dimension was a tremendous inspiration to me with her ever changing expression of surreal glamour. I feel that Olympia was born at the Pyramid. Indeed, Olympia was my mother’s name and everyone there loved her and encouraged me to take her name. Yes, I used to take my mother out with me when I used to go-go dance on the bar of the Pyramid.
At around this time I became acquainted with Michael Alig and started regularly appearing at his parties. I hosted and danced and later bartended the infamous Wednesday night parties known as Disco 2000. For several years I worked as a drag bartender at so many clubs, including Edelweiss and some of Suzanne Bartsch’s parties. Wherever I bartended I brought with me a black light and a red revolving police light. My make up therefore always had undercurrents or overcurrents of day-glo for that hi-impact ultraviolet effect.
Another drag artist I met at he Pyramid was Madame Ekatherina Sobechanskaya, known simply, but not at all humbly, as Madame. She was the founder of the original Trockadero Ballet (all drag ballerinas.) We began creating twin looks and later triplet looks for Suzanne Bartsch’s parties. Madame’s creative penchant was always for classic elegance and extravagant show-stopping effect. I still recall the mesmerizing effect the triplet looks had on an audience.
I went on to creating quadruplets in collaboration with Chuckie, a natural born genius for style and make up. Our artistry together expressed itself in twisted, bizarre looks such as four bald, sequined and beaded showgirls or four little old grey haired grannies in black slips and green shawl. We called ourselves DEMENTIA IV. Besides Chuckie and myself there were Athena and Chersteen. Girl, did we have fun! We appeared everywhere together including the Roxy, Limelight, and the parties of Lee Chappell, Suzanne Bartsche and Michael Alig.
During my bartending days at the Limelight, I met Tati, my soul-mate. We are now married and have been deeply committed to one another for over ten years. We have a lovely house in Queens and a wonderful family: a Yorkshire Terrier named Fru-Fru, a lop-eared rabbit named Dochka and three cats.
In the mid-nineties, I suffered a perforated ulcer, aggravated no doubt by my heavy drinking and smoking and large daily consumption of strong black coffee. I recuperated, gave up the liquor, the cigarettes and the coffee but substituted psychoactive drugs of every kind. I recall having many memorable experiences but in the end, this too became excessive. My lifestyle of the time and my drag career came to a close. It all coincided with the seedy drug-steeped murder committed by Michael Alig and Freeze. As I remember it, the whole night club scene turned very dark and evil around this time. People were just getting too high, too often. I remember undercover cops always following us. Not surprisingly since Freeze was living with me at the time and Michael Alig was also a frequent guest.
It took a while for me to adjust to a regular day job after ten years of nightclub living. Fear and depression gave way to Yoga which I practice devotedly every day. I thrive now working as an accounts manager for a special events design firm. I enjoy my work.
I still practice drag occasionally. These days I make special appearances at private parties, for the most part. I usually work twin looks with my drag sister Heddy Laverne, who also just happens to be a fabulous costume designer. Drag is always fun.
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