About The SouthTown Kingz (aka Zu Kings)
     
KINGZ Home Page

About the KINGS

WHAT'S NEW

KINGZ News

KINGZ Photos

Duke of Denver

Contact The KINGZ

Favorite Links

 
MATT, STARR & JOIE at Denver Pridefest 2000

The KINGZ began on the Zu Denver stage in 1999 as the brainchild of eventual troupe manager Beth V and performer/comedian MaXX Wilson after they enlisted the talents of Denver's ORIGINAL Drag King STARR MASTERS, and as a unit approached Tracy Edwards the host of the successful Tracy Edwards Show about a guest performance slot.  Edwards had never heard of a "Drag King" but agreed to the performance and an instant Denver phenomena was born.  Starr Masters and MaXX Wilson were the heart of the guest spot performances and the crowds were getting so big on the nights they performed that they eventually won a stage and a night of their own. The MaXX Wilson Show was born Beth V got busy enlisting the talents of others interested in performing and the show was a hit, featuring Queens, guest Kings, musicians, magicians and comedy.  Eventually so many kings were trying out for "guest spots" that Beth V. decided to form a troupe and quickly The Zu Kingz were born:  MaXX Wilson, Maverick McNasty, Starr Masters, Joie CasanovaJohnny B. and Doc Holliday.  The Zu Kings eventually ended up hosting wednesday nights at 60 South Broadway for almost 4 years of standing-room-only crowds, including a fierce following of loyal regulars and gaining the attention of local media.   It didn't take long for the group to grow and quickly added were Matt Handsome,  Rusty Nails and Simon Blu.  TAMI hosted and perform on some nights and Maxx Wilson on others and many of Denver's best comedians, musicians, poets, spoken word performance, sketch artists and queens would come and perform guest slots.  Eventually Tami (Maverick McNasty) stopped performing and moved behind stage doing choreography and staging which elevated the shows to a level that Denver had never before seen in the drag show scene.  Week after week the crowds built, the attention grew and the shows got bigger and bette, after gaining the hosting talents of comedian Camille Bird an entirely new dimension was added to the shows with Camilles biting wit and sharp-tongued banter. Their show played to a standing room only crowd every Wednesday night at 60 SOUTH almost the entire year of 2000. 

2000 was a breakout year for The Zu Kings as they were gaining notoriety around the country.  A number of the Kingz had guest appearances on national television (Maury Povich, MTV, Discovery Channel) and were interviewed on local radio and television and featured in WESTWORD magazine.  Legendary performers like The Casanova Kings, Leigh Crow, Mo B. Dick and Dred Gerstant came to Colorado and performed alongside the Zu Kings.  Many of the Kingz performed on the road at shows all over the country.  The Zu Kings were a tight-knit group and a well oiled performance machine.  The popularity of their shows were legendary among the international drag community, so much so that it garnered the attention of MTV and they once sent a crew out to record at one of the Kingz shows producing a crowd so large that people had to be turned away at the door but stood outside anyway with the over-flow crowd hoping to land an interview or a cameo as the camera lights moved by.

Eventually Zu Denver closed and 60 South opened in its place, at that point the group changed its name to the SouthTown Kingz and some of the originals retired (Maxx Wilson, Maverick McNasty, Johnny B.) and a few new faces came on board like Tom Fullery, Simon Blu, Mitchell Shy, Valentino, Duan A. Rider and Rust Nails.  The shows were still strong and now being hosted by DiMarcio Slaughter and even though other venues started hosting drag king shows 60 South Broadway still hosted the most complete show dedicated to the art of Drag Kings.  New kings were taking the stage and getting weekly performance slots kings like Hunter Down, Bootzy Collinz, fEMINEM,Tommy Knocker, Austin Tacious, Rico Suave, Taino

In 2014 the last of the original Zu Kings/SouthTown Kingz Starr Masters retired, but the drag king scene is still alive and strong in Colorado. 


Do you have memories/photos that you would like to share? Please contact us at HeyZeusKing@aol.com

 

The KINGZ are big on charitable events. Raising THOUSANDS of dollars in 2000/2001 the KINGZ host a bi-monthly benefit show at their home bar 60 SOUTH raising funds through door charges, tips, donations and auctions. The KINGZ have many benefactors including SPA FOR THE SPIRIT (a resort for terminally ill women), RAINBOW ALLEY (a Denver GLBTQ Youth Center), PROJECT ANGELHEART (an H.I.V./AIDS assistance program),and BOXER RESCUE (a one woman army against animal abuse). The Kings recently raised over a thousand dollars for the single mother of 4 who suffered the tragic loss of her youngest son, the funds were to help cover unexpected expenses. Recent benefits have inluded funds raised for the DENVER SAFE HOUSE, and a benefit to raise funds for Hospital Expenses of a community member who is in need.


HeyZeusKing@aol.com