Junior LaBeija
Junior LaBeija (born 1957) is a ballroom performer and LGBTQIA historian.[1] He has been a member of the House of LaBeija for more than 50 years, and was the emcee for the Paris is Burning ball, featured in the 1990 documentary Paris Is Burning. In 2026, he made his Broadway debut as Gus in Cats: The Jellicle Ball.
Early life
LaBeija was born in Harlem in 1957 as James Goode Jr. He was the eldest of four children, and came out to his parents as gay when he was "barely a teen." After his father left the family a few years later, his mother became a Jehovah's Witness. LaBeija has said that his door-to-door spreading of gospel during this period is where he found his gift for oratory.[2] LaBeija was introduced to ball culture as a teenager near the Christopher Street Pier. After enduring physical abuse from his siblings, he emancipated himself at the age of 15 and was taken under the wing of ballroom queen Gigi LaBeija of the House of LaBeija.[2]
Ballroom
In the ballroom scene, LaBeija quickly developed a reputation for his emcee skills. He was noted for his witty one-liners and commentary.[2] He is a member of the Royal House of LaBeija and walked in the category Nostalgia in his first ball. In 1982, LaBeija began doing drag at a gay bar in Manhattan, where he gained a reputation as a "whimsical, clevel butch queen."[3]
In the 1990 documentary Paris is Burning, LaBeija was featured as the master of ceremony.[4] He was noted for his theatricality and wit and was described as "the voice of the film," even though he was not officially credited due to walking out of his official interview before it began.[5] LaBeija starred as Gus in the Broadway and Off-Broadway productions of Cats: The Jellicle Ball[6] a reimagining of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Cats as a New York ball.[7]
Education and historianship
In his late 30s, LaBeija earned a degree in social work, specializing in severe disability.[2] In 2013, LaBeija participated in a panel event at the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art. He is outspoken about gentrification in the West Village and how it has harmed the black and brown queer communities who were forced out.[5]
References
- ↑ "Junior LaBeija Biography". Broadway Buzz. Archived from the original on 12 June 2026. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Abramovitch, Seth (11 June 2021). "'Paris Is Burning' Emcee Junior LaBeija on 'Pose,' RuPaul and Why He Never Let Hollywood Tell His Story". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 11 June 2026. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
- ↑ Schulman, Michael (16 March 2026). "Junior LaBeija, Master of Ceremonies". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
- ↑ "Celebrating Junior LaBeija's Stellar Performance in "Cats: The Jellicle Ball" | Royal House of LaBeija". www.royalhouseoflabeija.com. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
- 1 2 "Who is Junior LaBeija?". Sydney Yaeko. Archived from the original on 11 June 2026. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
- ↑ "Junior LaBeija On Stage". New York Theatre Guide. 6 April 2026. Archived from the original on 4 April 2024. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
- ↑ Vincentelli, Elisabeth; Maddox, Marcus (16 February 2026). "Two Icons of New York, Ready for Broadway's 'Jellicle Ball'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
- 1957 births
- Living people
- African-American drag queens
- Drag performers from New York City
- House of LaBeija
- LGBTQ people from New York (state)
- African-American LGBTQ people
- American male musical theatre actors
- 20th-century African-American people
- 21st-century African-American male actors
- 21st-century American male actors
- 20th-century American LGBTQ people
- 21st-century American LGBTQ people
- 20th-century American people