Sir Beauregard Elliot Esquire
A Multifaceted Drag King and Performance Artist Living in Austin, Texas.
Sir Beauregard Elliot Esq. in his bedroom. Photo by Niko Hernandez.
On Saturday, February 23, 2025 — the Cultural Archive team visited Sir Beauregard Elliot Esquire. We all huddled in Beau’s bedroom for an intimate conversation on his experience being an interdisciplinary performer. Here are some highlights from that chat:
Tabitha (Archivist): Describe yourself and your identity in your own words.
Beau: My name is Sir Beauregard Elliot Esquire. I am a black trans masc individual, performer, and artist. Also I’m a lesbian. I like women and nonbinary people. I don't like cis or trans men, they are cool just not into that vibe, I like folks who are into both their masculinity and femininity – that could change though!
Tabitha: When did you first realize you were a lesbian?
Beau: It was when I was a junior/senior in high school. I was in choir and musical theater so I was always around a lot of queer people but I grew up in a very religious household – both of my parents are pastors and they were very homophobic. It took me a long time to even realize that gay people or trans people existed outside of shows like ‘The L word’ or the lesbian couple on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ because of my upbringing – but I binged those shows as a kid because I was gay! Then in college I had my first real deep crush on a girl and the rest is history.
Tabitha: If you or your art was a fruit – what fruit would it be and why?
Beau: I think my art would be a dragon fruit – I really like dragons and also the color of the dragon fruit is really pretty and it's super spikey on the outside and that's how I feel about my drag. It's colorful but it's still scary looking – and when I'm performing it's a good time!
Tabitha: How has being from Texas shaped your perspective on art, creativity, and self-expression?
Beau: Honestly because I've only ever lived in Texas, it's hard to say how it’s shaped me because it's the only culture I really know. However, I recently went to New York for the first time as a drag artist and I will say that the energy felt more welcoming there. I felt like I could be myself there – black and silly and weird – which isn't always considered normal in a conservative state like Texas. Here in Texas I can't always show up as myself so easily. In queer spaces I feel safe and accepted but when I go to work I get misgendered a lot which is weird because I literally have a beard. I also find it hard to just talk about my art sometimes here in Texas because they just don't understand it.
Tabitha: Do you consider Texas Home?
Beau: No. I actually still feel like I'm searching for home. People say home isn't just a place and I mostly agree, but I still haven't found a place where I can fully be in my skin. I’m not sure I'll find that in Texas either. There aren't enough resources or opportunities here for me to feel like myself. I don't know where home will be but I don't know if it’s Texas.
Tabitha: What role does your gender identity play in your life and art? How has it shaped your creative practice?
Beau: Before I came out as a trans masc I thought I had to be a super femme presenting woman. But Drag has helped me get into the groove of being whoever I want to be. Now that I have a better understanding of my masculinity now - I like to be androgynous and gender bendy like wearing a dress but still having people call me ‘Sir’.
Tabitha Hamilton (left) and Sir Beauregard Elliot Esq. (right)
Photo by Niko Hernandez
Tabitha: Have you always considered yourself creative? What were some of your first art forms/creative practices/hobbies?
Beau: Yes! I probably came out of the womb singing! Some of my earliest memories are with my mom in the bathtub and she's singing to me and I would just repeat the songs she was singing. Then I'd sing those songs at Church on Sunday – so singing has been the basis of almost all of my creative work. I also fell in love with dance because of the ‘Step Up’ movies lol. Then I went to a magnet school and was exposed to a lot of other different types of performing arts like band, orchestra, and choir. I even did visual art like drawing for a while.
Tabitha: Tell us about your background as a classically trained opera singer and how that has led you to drag
Beau: My drag is very theatrical. I think going to school for vocal performance and studying opera theater gave me tools like “suspension of disbelief” and “using music as a consequence" which works so well with a lot of drag performances since drag is so improv based - you never know what's gonna happen so you gotta stay on your toes! From the audience to a possible wardrobe malfunction you have to go with the flow. I find that picking up on different parts of a song helps me express my creativity.
Tabitha: How do you conceptualize your performances? What inspires your looks, music, and movement?
Beau: Sometimes it comes from real life experiences that are happening and I need to get a feeling out but I don't know how to do it unless I'm performing. I'm also starting to write songs more now and release them to the public which is more of my vulnerable creative work - sometimes there is something that I feel and I don't know how to say it out loud but I can sing it. When I do drag I also end up singing. Mostly because it's what people expect from me. But I actually really feel inspired by silent films. I really don't like talking in drag. I’d prefer to tell a story through my movement, costume, and music.
Tabitha: Where do you hope your creative practice takes root and grows next?
Beau: To be quite honest — I do want to be famous. Not just because I want the attention but because I think that someone who looks and sounds like me- should be famous because people need that representation. I think the world just needs more perspective on what it's like to be black and trans and an artist who just does what they feel - someone who can demolish the idea of what society believes is normal.
Tabitha Hamilton (left) and Sir Beauregard Elliot Esq. (right)
Photo by Niko Hernandez
