Who is Denise Coles?70-year-old playwright wins Brooklyn’s first all-ages and all-genders beauty pageant

Denise Coles who is popularly known as 'Mistah' recently won the title with a heart-warming singing performance that touched the soul of the judges. A 70-year-old self-proclaimed drag queen who is also a playwright won the 'Big Apples first-ever all-gender beauty pageant'.

Donned in a black tux, Coles, who hails from Ozone Park took home the title of the inaugural “Brooklyn Community Kitchen Monarch". She hopes to share this title with all the senior citizens across all five boroughs:

“Being a person of an older age, we have to be understood. We’re not being put out to pasture because we’re a little bit older. I have a lot to offer.”

This prestigious pageant was hosted by (and in honor of) the Brooklyn Community Kitchen. It is a thirty-year-old soup kitchen located in Greenpoint. Coles, who has written four-off Broadway plays mentioned in an article with the New York Post that he was excited to have fun at the event and did not expect to win the title:

“I knew it was going to be a ball, that we were going to have fun. I really did not expect to be winning anything, but I did!"

The competition consisted of eleven participants who fought in various segments like an interview, a dress competition, and a talent hunt to compete for the number one spot. While the participants showcased many types of talent on stage, Coles got dressed up as a 'drag king' which is a female adorning the look of a man. She also painted a fake beard to complete the look.

Coles chose to sing Hairspray, an iconic song focusing on gender equality. Coles told the New York Post, how much she loved the song and would continue singing it for years:

“I’ve been singing it for years and will continue to sing it until I don’t have to sing it anymore”

She continued expressing her joy by saying that by the end of her performance, she was in a red dress and had red lipstick on:

“In the beginning I have [trousers] and everything else, and by the end of the song that I sing, I’m in a red dress, red wig, lipstick and I got a standing ovation, believe it or not.”

The audience and judges were so mesmerized by Coles' performance that they gave her the nickname 'Mistah'. However, she also earned the nickname because of her leadership skills from behind the curtain.

The competition was a huge success and all the tickets were sold out. The Brooklyn Community Kitchen continued receiving donations even after the event was over. Simone, the President of the board of the community kitchen told the New York Post that the aim of the event was to serve a greater cause along with having some fun:

“The intention was always to support this really great cause and have some fun, and we were able to do that with this group of people that we were so lucky to find. “It was a real example of community at work.”

Coles plans to continue dancing and singing and is happy and grateful for her achievement.