Monika: Did she ever give you tough love?
Vonni: Oh, endlessly. Debra could be as sharp as a feathered stiletto. She would pull me aside and say, "Stop, Vonni, what is going on here? Do not do that." And I would listen, because honestly, she always knew better. She was not cruel, but she was never afraid to call me out, even if it stung a little. Whether it was about my career choices, my costumes, or the way I was handling my finances, she always kept me on track.
Monika: And when things went right, what kind of support did she give you then?
Vonni: When I succeeded, she was the first one screaming, clapping, and throwing diamonds in the air, figuratively, of course. She celebrated every milestone, no matter how small. She had this way of making you feel like the star of your own show, even when you were exhausted, hungover, or covered in glitter. She is still my closest, dearest friend, my confidante, my diva-in-residence, my personal fairy godmother of feathers and advice.
Monika: And beyond the stage, what has that friendship meant to you over the years?
Vonni: We can literally chat for hours, laughing, reminiscing, planning, and catching up on life. She has always been there for me through every crazy stage show, every costume mishap, and every late-night club performance. If I ever feel like I have lost my way, Debra is the one who pulls me back, always with grace, wit, and a touch of glittered sarcasm. Honestly, she is irreplaceable, and I would not have lasted a night on stage, or in life, without her.
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| A calendar shoot for trans awareness 2010 in Adelaide, makeup by Markus Hamence. |
Monika: Were there other drag characters who mentored you?
Vonni: Honestly? No one took me under their wing like Debra did. But I had friends who made the nights unforgettable, like Monique. She was a riot. She had this act where she dressed as an old lady bowler, complete with a shopping trolley, performing "These Are a Few of My Favorite Things" and throwing dried rice all over the stage for the snowflake line. I came out right after her for my strip number and, splat, I slid across the floor like Bambi on ice. The audience roared, and we laughed about it for days. Monique and I even lived together for a while, so those hilarious backstage moments became part of everyday life. Plus, Carlotta and Ayesha were always fun backstage. There was never a dull moment.
Monika: Incredible. And what was it like performing the numbers at Sydney Les Girls?
Vonni: Oh, every number was an adventure. One of my favourites was "Can't Take My Eyes Off You," swirling in a dress that could have doubled as a small parachute.
Then there was the space show. Silver rockets, planets, colour-painted backdrops of Earth and the moon, the whole cast dressed as glamorous Martians, and a comedian robot doing a strip number. I would follow with my own interplanetary strip, singing to the Carpenters' "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft," and chaos always ensued. The robot once fell asleep behind the moon during the show, and I had to wake her mid-performance. And that was nothing. Shows at nine, eleven, and one o'clock in the morning meant exhaustion and hilarious mishaps every night.
Monika: That sounds exhausting.
Vonni: Oh, darling, it was. And there were so many hands helping behind the scenes. Carlotta made many of the costumes herself, and Christopher Essex, Electra, and Stephen Fitzgerald were key designers. There were also work bees where we all wired feathers into costumes. Eventually, the owners got a bit greedy and stopped doing New Year's Eve premieres and new productions. That is when I realised I needed to move on, and I went into the strip clubs for more money.
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| Selfie back stage at a local Adelaide venue for my show Vonni’s Big Arvo 2018. |
Vonni: Oh, absolutely. Abe Saffron owned many of the buildings, including the Les Girls building, which is no longer there. I worked for the club owners, running shows at multiple venues. I would start at Porky's, stay in costume, do the same number at the next club, then the next, and then back to Porky's in a new outfit, all night long. Then in 1988, the Nick Greiner government launched the "Clean Up the Cross" campaign, arresting everyone in the clubs, even innocent performers like me.
One night, I climbed out a window in costume to escape a raid and ended up waitressing at an illegal gambling joint for the night, making more money than if I had stayed on stage. Eventually, in court, all the performers were cleared because we genuinely did not know the clubs did not have licenses for alcohol or entertainment. Only the operators were charged. It was like living in a real-life Underbelly episode. Corrupt police, gangsters, unpredictable audiences, but I survived it all with a sense of humour and a love for performing.
Monika: Wow. From glitter to danger, from feathers to fines. You really lived it all.
Vonni: Every moment shaped me, Monika. The chaos, the mentoring from Debra, the mishaps with Monique, the strip clubs, the Les Girls, even the jail shows - all of it made me the performer I am today. And honestly, I wouldn't change a thing. Feathers, diamonds, danger, laughter, I lived it all.
Monika: Your career didn't just stay on stage, you took on management roles and ran clubs too. How did that side of your life evolve alongside performing?
Vonni: Oh, it was a whole other kind of show, Monika. Performing is one thing, but managing a club? That's like trying to choreograph chaos with a feather duster in one hand and a ledger in the other. I started off really humble, collecting glasses, sweeping floors, just keeping the place from descending into total anarchy. But I had this practical streak and a terrible work ethic for slacking, so people noticed.
Monika: That is quite a climb. How did those early jobs turn into real leadership roles?
Vonni: Slowly, I rose through the ranks, eventually running places like the Edinburgh Castle Hotel as duty manager. And then there was my stint at the Crazy Horse Nightclub in Adelaide, seventeen years, can you believe it? Seventeen! It wasn't just about keeping the drinks flowing or making sure the DJs didn't start their own revolution; I had to handle staff, performers, scheduling, licensing, basically everything except the legal paperwork that would make your head spin. But I loved it. It gave me financial independence, the ability to shape the shows and the environment, and a kind of leadership based on respect and trust.
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| After party for the opening of Priscilla Queen Of The Dessert, June 2022, with my co-stars Keane Sheppard Fletcher (Tic) and Jarrod Moore (Felicia) Star Casino Gold Coast. |
Vonni: That was all thanks to my longtime friend Joseph Farrugia, who was part-owner and general manager of Crazy Horse. He offered me a job as duty manager. Joseph and I had been friends since the '70s when I was at La Belle and he was part of a very glamorous all-male revue called Les Coquettes. He still is a big part of my life fifty years later.
Being on stage is about glamour and illusion, but managing? That's real-life magic. You have to be firm but fair, a problem solver, a cheerleader, a referee, and occasionally a firefighter when things go catastrophically sideways. Honestly, I thrived on it, maybe because I had spent my whole life surviving chaos anyway, so running a nightclub felt natural.
Monika: You made history with your musical theatre debut as Bernadette in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert! That must have been an incredible experience. Can you tell me what that moment felt like?
Vonni: It was surreal, like stepping into a dream I did not even know I had. I had been performing all my life, but musical theatre is a whole other beast, you are singing, acting, dancing, and living the character every night. When the incredible Australian performer Trevor Ashley cast me as Bernadette in the Matt Ward production at The Star Gold Coast in July 2025, I suddenly realized I was the first Australian transgender woman, and only the second in the world, to play her professionally in a major production. I thought, "Well, someone has to do it, might as well be me!"
Monika: That sense of history must have carried a lot of weight. What made this role feel so personal for you?
Vonni: The role was so special because Bernadette is not just a character on a page, she is inspired by legends like Carlotta. There was this beautiful connection to real-life history. It felt like my life experience, my journey through drag, cabaret, strip clubs, and all the crazy adventures, was suddenly being celebrated on stage in a massive, professional way. And having Carlotta appear in the show for that transformative cameo? It was a full-circle moment, blurring the line between life and theatre, homage and history. I cried, okay, maybe sobbed a little, on opening night.
Monika: And how did the wider theatre world respond to seeing you in that role?
Vonni: The public support was overwhelming. The legendary Tony Sheldon, who originated the role internationally, attended one of the pre-shows, was very kind, encouraged me, and even praised the performance, which made me feel validated and seen in a way I had not before. Suddenly, doors opened, I got representation, calls about future roles, and the idea that a trans woman's story can belong on a major musical stage became real. It was thrilling, empowering, and a little terrifying all at once. But Monika, if my life has taught me anything, it is that you grab these moments and run with them, preferably in glittered heels!
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| Debra LeGae and Vonni in Melbourne, 2025. |
Monika: For a lot of trans girls, loneliness can become a part of life. Did you ever feel that, or were you lucky enough to avoid it?
Vonni: It can be a very lonely life, and in some respects, it still is. I am a very private person and only have a handful of very close friends. I have my gorgeous best friend Ben, who I jokingly call my husband — he's not, but he plays the part well. We travel overseas a lot together. I've gotten him into theatre shows, and we often travel interstate for various stage productions.
He has become my rock, and he has also given me fantastic advice regarding buying and selling property — he's in real estate with his own company.
Monika: When you came out, did your mother accept you first as a woman and then as a showgirl?
Vonni: My mum was always accepting of my lifestyle, and she and dad often came to see my shows, including Les Girls. Dad is no longer with us, and mum now has severe dementia, so she doesn't really know who I am.
Monika: Do you feel that you resemble your mother in the way you look, behave, or carry yourself — your style and mannerisms too?
Vonni: Mum has always been a hard worker and loved music and theatre — so maybe that's where I got it from.
Monika: After all those late nights, are you a night owl or an early bird now?
Vonni: I'm definitely not a night owl anymore. I'm usually in bed before midnight and dread it when I have shows in clubs that are open late, with performances at 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. I have to have a nap in the early afternoon.
Monika: How do you like to spend your days off?
Vonni: I have a beautiful little dog who I adore, so on my days off I love going on walks and pottering in my garden.
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| Vonni and Carlotta in our dressing room at Star Casino during the production of Priscilla Queen Of The Dessert 2022. |
Monika: And upcoming gigs or events?
Vonni: I am still doing shows here and there, and it seems Naughty Bingo has become very popular, so I host a lot of those around Adelaide. I also bought all my own sound equipment, so I do occasional DJing — mainly in pubs and beer gardens — and always play '70s, '80s, and '90s tunes. I love it.
Monika: Many trans women are writing their memoirs these days. Have you ever thought about writing your own book?
Vonni: I've tried and had help from a dear friend to write it with me, but I always get bored with it. I think I've had an extraordinarily exciting life; however, I'm not sure others would want to read about it.
Monika: Final question: after decades of sequins, danger, glamour, and chaos, what's your philosophy on life?
Vonni: I always try to be kind and encourage others, especially the younger generation. Kindness is free and can go a long way. I try to always find the positive in situations rather than the negative.
I believe it's best to go out and find your own work. Don't sit back waiting for others to find it for you. Work hard. I think hard work has kept me feeling young.
Monika: Thank you so much, Vonni!
Vonni: Thank you, Monika, and thank you for allowing me to share a small part of my life. I hope others, especially younger trans women, can take something positive from my story.
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| Christmas with Ben. He’s been my soulmate rock for 25 years. |
END OF PART 2
All photos: courtesy of Vonni.
The main photo: 2018, makeup and photo by Aaron Crocker, aka Twitch.
© 2026 - Monika Kowalska
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