Heklina

Last updated
Heklina
Heklina drag queen performing.jpg
Heklina in 2012
Born
Stefan Grygelko

(1967-06-17)June 17, 1967
Hennepin, Minnesota, U.S.
DiedApril 3, 2023(2023-04-03) (aged 55)
London, England
Occupations

Stefan Grygelko (June 17, 1967-April 3, 2023), best-known by the name Heklina, was an American actor, drag queen, LGBT rights activist and entrepreneur based in San Francisco, California. Born in the Minneapolis area, [1] Grygelko's mother was Icelandic; he lived in the Nordic country for a period of three years in the 1980s, [2] with the name "Heklina" being created after an Icelandic volcano, Hekla. [3] Heklina founded the iconic San Francisco LGBT/drag nightclub and live show Trannyshack in 1996. [4]

Contents

I think that drag queens are still the eunuch clown that's safe to laugh at. It's definitively not shocking anymore. So I don't know if America's really embraced it. The early 90s was when RuPaul [was becoming famous] and it was the first time any drag queen had mainstream exposure. I don't really see a drag queen breaking out like that [again].

— Heklina on Feast of Fools in 2006 [5]

Career

Mother (formerly Trannyshack)

It has several meanings; the new "Mothership" of drag in SF, something warm and comforting, nurturing even. And it also ties into the "drag mother" thing. This will be a place for all drag mothers to bring their children, to hone their craft.

— Heklina in SFist article [4]

Heklina co-founded Trannyshack, and hosted the show from its inception in 1996 at the Stud bar, as well as an offshoot in Los Angeles, and continued to host special events throughout San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Palm Springs, among other Californian cities. [6] Trannyshack was the longest-running drag event series in San Francisco. [7] On January 17, 2015 at The Oasis, Trannyshack was rebranded to Mother, evolving from a monthly to a weekly event series.

Heklina also co-produced and co-hosted the Miss Trannyshack Pageant, widely considered the premiere annual drag event in San Francisco, having sold-out every year since its debut. [8] [9] [10]

Theater and community activities

Heklina acted in local theatre productions, most notably the S.F. Golden Girls productions (as Dorothy Zbornak), and emceed a variety of community and charitable events, including the Folsom Street Fair (along with Sister Roma) and San Francisco Pride. [11] She was voted Community Grand Marshal of the 2004 San Francisco GLBTQ Pride Parade, [12] and won the 2009 Pride Creativity Award for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to the LGBT Community. She was sainted by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. [13] Heklina co-starred in a series of short films called the Tran-ilogy of Terror, a series of drag horror spoofs written and directed by long-time collaborator Peaches Christ, [14] and also starred in the film Baby Jane?.

The Oasis

The Oasis, a theatre and cabaret nightclub located in San Francisco's SoMa district, [15] hosted a grand opening event on New Year's Eve 2014; Heklina, along with three business partners (D'Arcy Drollinger, Geoff Benjamin, and Jason Beebout), signed a deal to purchase the former Oasis in October of that year. The nightclub's diverse programming features touring drag performers, cabaret and various performing artists, live musical acts, DJs and more.

Mommie Queerest

In 2022, Heklina and Peaches Christ appeared in Mommie Queerest, a drag parody of Mommie Dearest (1981), in Palm Springs and Seattle. [16] In April 2023, Heklina and Peaches both traveled to England, where the duo was set to perform the show in London and Manchester. [17]

Death

On April 3, 2023, Grygelko, aged 55, was discovered dead in his London hotel room by longtime collaborator and friend Peaches Christ. [18] [19] [20] The two had been in the UK preparing for a series of performances of their stage show Mommie Queerest. No foul play was suspected in his death. [21]

On her Instagram, Peaches Christ posted the following message that same day: "I am shocked and horrified to bring this news to you. I am living in a real-life nightmare so forgive me if I don’t have all the answers just now. This morning, in London, England I went to collect my dear friend Heklina, who is costarring with me in a Mommie Queerest show here, and found her dead. I do not know the cause of death yet. I know this is shocking news and I am beyond stunned, but I wanted to let folks know what has happened. Heklina is not just my best friend, but a beloved icon of our community. I am a mess. Given this crisis, please do not try to contact me as I am utterly heartbroken, stunned, and focusing on what needs to get done next. I shall be in touch." [22]

Filmography

YearTitleGenreRoleNotes
2023 Drag Me to Dinner TelevisionHerselfCompeted on a team with Peaches Christ (Episode 10)
2022 Judge Steve Harvey TelevisionHerselfGuest (Season 1, episode 5)
2021The Sherry Vine Variety ShowTelevisionHerselfGuest (Season 1, episode 2)
2020-21Drag Time with HeklinaPodcast seriesHost35 episodes
2020Shit & ChampagneFilmHooker in jailUncredited
2019 State of Pride Documentary filmHerself
2017 The Boulet Brothers' Dragula TelevisionHerselfGuest judge (Season 1, episode 5; season 2, episode 4)
2016 Hey Qween! Web seriesHerselfGuest (1 episode)
2015Hush Up Sweet CharlotteFilmMrs. Bates
2015Club KingDocumentary filmHerself
2010Baby Jane?FilmMrs. Bates
2009 Trauma Television Liza Minnelli Guest star (1 episode)
2008 The Cho Show TelevisionHerselfGuest (1 episode)
2005Spin the BottleDocumentary short filmHerself
2005Filthy Gorgeous: The Trannyshack StoryDocumentary filmHerself
2004 Playing It Straight Television
2004Whatever Happened to Peaches Christ?Short filmHeklina
2002A Nightmare on Castro StreetShort filmHeklina
2001Season of the TrollShort filmHeklina

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References

  1. ↑ Moen, Matt (4 April 2023). "Drag Legend Heklina Dead at 55". PAPER Magazine . Retrieved 5 July 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ↑ "Coco Thoughts While In Solitude #50 with Heklina". YouTube. 22 May 2020. Archived from the original on 2021-12-12. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  3. ↑ Swan, Rachel, "Kiss That Stud Goodbye", East Bay Express, August 13, 2008. Retrieved 20 September 2009.
  4. 1 2 Barmann, Jay (16 December 2014). "Heklina Talks About Mother, The New Incarnation Of Trannyshack At The Oasis". SFist. Archived from the original on 12 March 2015.
  5. ↑ "FOF #419 – Tricks, Treats and Trannies – 10.31.06", Feast of Fools, October 31, 2006. Retrieved 20 September 2009.
  6. ↑ Del Mar, Pollo, "Reigning Miss Trannyshack Reflects on Legendary Club", San Francisco Bay Times, August 14, 2008. Retrieved 4 October 2009.
  7. ↑ Wilkey, Robin (21 June 2012). "Heklina, Trannyshack Founder, On Movies, Bar Fights And San Francisco Pride". HuffPost.com. Retrieved 5 July 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ↑ Buck, Jenn, "Queens vie for the Trannyshack crown: Miss Trannyshack Pageant 2005 is set for this Saturday night", Bay Area Reporter, 17 November 2005. Retrieved 20 September 2009.
  9. ↑ "The MISS TRANNYSHACK PAGEANT 2006" announcement, 2006. Retrieved 20 September 2009.
  10. ↑ Eccentric California: The Bradt Travel Guide (2005) ; Jan Friedman, ISBN   1-84162-126-9, ISBN   978-1-84162-126-5.
  11. ↑ Vaziri, Aidin, "On the Town with Heklina: All the city's a stage for this drag queen", SFGate (part of San Francisco Chronicle), October 22, 2006. Retrieved 20 September 2009.
  12. ↑ San Francisco Pride 2003 Event List Archived 2009-02-17 at the Wayback Machine , from the SFPride website. Retrieved 20 September 2009.
  13. ↑ Sister Dana Van Iquity, "Saints Alive! Heklina and Peaches Christ Join Mother Teresa" (interview), San Francisco Bay Times, July 26, 2007. Retrieved 20 September 2009.
  14. ↑ Sister Dana Van Iquity, "Peaches Christ Puts Out Fierce DVD" Archived 2006-11-08 at the Wayback Machine , San Francisco Bay Times, July 13, 2006. Retrieved 20 September 2009.
  15. ↑ "SF Oasis : The Club". SF Oasis. Archived from the original on 2015-03-15. Retrieved 2015-03-08.
  16. ↑ Thomas, Kevin M. (28 March 2022). "Peaches Christ and Heklina's Mommie Queerest hits the road". Queer Forty. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  17. ↑ "Mommie Queerest, Soho Theatre: Wild drag parody of the dreadful 1981 film Mommie Dearest". Time Out London. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  18. ↑ "SF drag legend Heklina reportedly has passed away". 48hills. 3 April 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  19. ↑ "Report: SF Drag Icon Heklina Dies While On Tour In London". SFist - San Francisco News, Restaurants, Events, & Sports. 2023-04-03. Archived from the original on 2023-04-03. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  20. ↑ @sohotheatre (April 3, 2023). "Soho Theatre, @HOME_mcr and Tim Whitehead are in shock and incredibly saddened with news of Heklina's passing. Our thoughts are with Peaches, Mommie Queerest company, Heklina's family, friends + their wider community. Together with HOME we'll be in contact with audiences tomorrow" (Tweet). Retrieved 2023-04-03– via Twitter.
  21. ↑ Laird, Cynthia (April 11, 2023). "Heklina to be inducted on LGBTQ Wall of Honor". Bay Area Reporter . Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  22. ↑ "Peaches Christ | I am shocked and horrified to bring…". Instagram . @thepeacheschrist. 3 April 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. ↑ "Drag: Not Just Men in Heels (2007) - IMDb". IMDb .
  24. ↑ "Helot Revolt rockumentary (1993)". YouTube .
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