Liza Minnelli on the Muppet Show Inspired My Drag Career

A late-night viewing of the Cabaret star performing with Kermit and the Muppets set me on the path to the West End stage. I was 18, just out of high school in Blackpool, a town famous for its bright lights and nonstop fun. I had come out at 14 and studied performing arts at a local college from age 16. Underage, I snuck into clubs and watched shows in the town's many beautiful theatres. The showgirls, feathers, sequins, and rhinestones were intoxicating. One night after the bar closed, a drag queen took me back to her place. I did not understand the significance of what I was about to experience. That night gave me an education no university course could match. Now, I even have a tattoo of Liza Minnelli on my thigh—a permanent reminder of the performance that changed my life.