70-year-old playwright, drag king, wins Brooklyn beauty pageant

March 10, 2025 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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GREENPOINT — DENISE “MISTAH” COLES, 70, of Ozone Park, was crowned the first-ever Brooklyn Community Kitchen Monarch at an inaugural all-age, all-gender beauty pageant last week in Greenpoint. The playwright and drag king won after a moving performance of “I Know Where I’ve Been,” from the musical “Hairspray,” which brought judges to tears, reports the New York Post.

Coles, who has written and produced four off-Broadway plays, hopes her win inspires older residents of the five boroughs. The pageant, a fundraiser for Brooklyn Community Kitchen soup kitchen, featured contestants in evening attire, interviews and talent showcases.

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