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Phoenix, Dotte Com, Brigitte Bidet and Taylor Alxndr (Left to right, Phoenix and Bidet by Jon Dean, Alxndr by The Clique)
When coronavirus created nationwide shutdowns last March, artists and entertainers were among those whose steady income evaporated in a matter of days. That includes one Atlanta group known for reinvention and staying power: drag queens.
“I went from performing and producing multiple shows a week, managing talent, being a makeup artist for TV to a dead stop, nothing,” said Phoenix, the local showrunner, club queen, Brooks family legend and “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alum.
The citywide quarantines followed by scattered re-openings, re-closings and smaller crowd sizes throughout 2020 was a wakeup call for 20-year veterans like Phoenix as well as queens at every level of experience.