Dreaming of Charo with Legendary SF Drag Queen Heklina

The year was 1996. I was living in San Francisco for five years and had progressed from the name of “Sally Rafael,” to “Farm Girlfriend”, to finally arriving with the one that stuck: Ethylina Canne. I had been part of the club scene since moving to the city by the bay at the age of 19. My “performing” had consisted of being a nightlife personality and a random dancer on a go-go box or stage. I vividly remember a new hot spot that came to be at the STUD bar which was the hottest ticket in town. I met Heklina at that time and she offered me a spot in the “Trannyshack” show.

I remember that I was so excited as this would be my first performance lip syncing to a song on a stage in front of an audience. I rehearsed for a month straight, as she kept asking me if I was ready week after week. The time finally happened and the rest … well, is DRAG HERSTORY. I’m so happy she didn’t give up on me and kept asking, because it was truly the start of my drag career that has now spanned 27 years! So, Heklina started my career by giving me that opportunity, and she is such a gem, she has never once asked for royalties.

The two of us have shared so many fun times together and I’m so grateful she has recently moved to the desert, along with many of my friends from San Francisco.

I was able to catch up with her to talk about the past, present, and future….

Where did the idea for Trannyshack come from and what do you attribute the legendary success?

It all happened very organically. I moved to San Francisco and met a lot of people in the underground scene there. I started doing theater within this group of people and began to dabble in drag roles. I also started working at the Stud bar at the same time, and they noticed  that I knew a lot of “colorful” people. There was a traditionally dead Tuesday night slot that they didn’t know what to do with, so they asked me to try something. Since I was dabbling in drag, I decided to start a drag club and it just took off. I didn’t come from a traditional drag background so there were no rules at this club which people seemed to really like, there was a very punk rock edge to it, and it must be said that San Francisco was also a different city back then. It was a drag club on Tuesday night where the show didn’t even BEGIN until midnight, it couldn’t happen now. 

Many stars graced the stage over the years on those Tuesday nights. Who was your absolute favorite of them all?

Charo, because she was everything I dreamed Charo would be like. And Lady Gaga, who I had at the club maybe six months before she became a superstar. A lot of people talk about how they love the gays just so they can get that gay dollar, but I can tell you that Lady Gaga is completely genuine in her love for the gay community. 

Trannyshack was before social media and Drag Race. Do you think that either of those has changed the creative process of performers today for the better or worse?

Oh God, I feel like I’ve answered this question a lot over the years. Yes, I think it has changed drag and that it has dumbed down the art of drag in a way, where people just look at makeup tutorials on YouTube and try and copy their favorite star from RuPaul’s drag race. Not enough people let themselves form their own identity, so it’s kind of killed some creativity. It’s also kind of dumbed down the average drag or nightclub audience, where unless people know exactly what is happening before they go out, they won’t go out. There’s no mystery left. The great thing about club life before cell phones was you had to go OUT to find out what things were like! That was just the natural process of nightlife. You felt like you were missing out on something great. I could go on and on about it and people are always telling me I should be grateful that queer life has become mainstream, but I never wanted to become mainstream. I never signed on for that. 

After years of being at the epicenter of nightlife in SF, how has your recent move to the desert changed your life and your drag?

The pandemic forced my hand, and that is what made me move full-time down here. I left San Francisco the weekend when everything was shutting down in March 2020, as I most definitely was not going to spend the lockdown in my tiny San Francisco apartment. I’ve had to get used to the pace of Palm Springs for sure. I feel like before, my life in San Francisco was 100 miles an hour, then the pandemic happened, and I had to get used to a complete standstill. Now that things are picking up again my life is moving at 50 miles an hour and I like it. I don’t like being quite as busy as I used to be. 

You have recently created and performed your one woman show in SF and Palm Springs. What was that experience like, and do you plan on taking it on the road to other cities?

I really enjoyed it. I have to say the show was just really a diary of sorts about what my life was like during the quarantine. And I was kind a half assed about the way that I threw it together, but people still seemed to enjoy it. I just know that I can do better. I am planning on doing another show in January both here in Palm Springs and in San Francisco. I may go do it in other cities like Seattle or Portland but for right now my life is divided between San Francisco and the desert. 

What exciting plans do you have to bring your SF parody shows to the Coachella Valley?

Well, you know I’ve talked to you about this, but finding the right venue in Palm Springs has been a real challenge. I think for now the best spot for us is the Palm Springs Cultural Center. And we are going to be doing “Three’s Company” there over pride weekend this year, November 3, 4, and 5. Keep an eye out, tickets will go on sale soon on Eventbrite. 

Having such a long and prosperous drag career, what is one thing you have yet to do so far?

I’ve never written my memoirs, and it is definitely time! 

Check out everything about Heklina on social media via her Facebook and Instagram accounts. If you head to one of her shows, tell them “Ethyl sent ya!”

Joyfully,

Ethyl

www.ethylina.com