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Melissa St. John Celebrated for 40 Years of Drag Excellence and Community Service on Feb 17, 2024.
Award-winning drag artist Melissa St. John, often referred to as the First Lady of the Palm Beaches, has long been lauded for her ability to bring audiences to their feet during her performances. She celebrated 40 years as a female illusionist and community activist on February 17, 2024, at the Lake Worth Playhouse in the LGBTQ+ sanctuary city of Lake Worth Beach, Florida.
LGBTQ+ College Student Scholarship Established in St. John’s Honor
To donate to the Melissa St. John LGBTQ+ College Student Scholarship fund please email Justin Wyse at justin@outsfl.com
Best Drag Performer, Best Entertainer and Best Artist.
Out South Florida Newspaper and Magazine (OUTSFL) presented RUBY ROYALE: A Tribute to Melissa St. John’s 40 Years of Drag Excellence & Community Service. St. John was joined on stage by drag superstars and former Miss Florida F.I. Pageant winners Tiffany Arieagus, Velvet Lenore and Erika Norell as well as community favorites Lupita Hollywood and Big Mama.
Proceeds from the event benefited the Melissa St. John LGBTQ+ College Student Scholarship fund established through OUTSFL. St. John was recently recognized by the publications in their 2023 Reader’s Choice Awards where St. John was voted the Palm Beaches Best Drag Performer, Best Entertainer and Best Artist.
Commissioner Gregg Weiss recognized Melissa St. John for 40 years of community service.
Civil rights activist, LGBTQ+ defender and ordained minister
Without question, St. John reigns supreme as a drag icon in South Florida but what audiences may not know is that she is also a civil rights activist, LGBTQ+ defender and ordained minister. She follows in the footsteps of her great grandfather, Will Coleman, who was the President of the NAACP in Andalusia, Alabama and a deacon in his church. The family’s dedication to community service and helping others in need also extends to St. John’s aunt, Edith Bush, known for her leadership in establishing the Martin Luther King, Jr. Landmark Memorial in West Palm Beach, Florida’s, Currie Park.
As a community leader, St. John has championed civil rights, anti-violence initiatives, marriage equality and was the Palm Beach County Coordinator for the 2023 Drag Queen March on Tallahassee, Florida. She has also lent her talents to a multitude of other community fundraisers over the last four decades.
In 1987, St. John was a founding member of the Mother’s Cupboard charity and led its travelling troupe of drag queens across Palm Beach and Broward Counties. Mother’s Cupboard was instrumental in its efforts to raise funds through the gratuities given to the performers at each drag show. These donations went to support and care for individuals impacted by HIV/AIDS. It goes without saying that living with HIV/AIDS in the 1980s was far different than it is in 2024.
Melissa St. John captured during a breathtaking performance for Ruby Royale.
Heroes and Headliners
One of Melissa St. John's cherished memories was sharing the stage with the legendary Eartha Kitt at the Kravis Center during a fundraising event for CAP.