The centerpiece in Act Two of the new musical “Speakeasy – John and Jane Allison in the Wonderland” is the great drag ball at the Jefferson Lodge Ball. Chet Cheshire presides over the festivities, attended by a sparkling variety of drag kings and queens, and watched over from the balconies by a who’s who of New York Society. Duchess Bentley and Jane Allison arrive as a Victorian groom and bride, John Allison and Julian Carnation arrive as Prince Charming and Princess Cendrillon (Cinderella).
The Jefferson Lodge Ball is closely based on the historical Hamilton Lodge Ball of Harlem. This annual ball and costume contest started in the late 1860’s and continued through the 1930’s. Drag balls were held in major cities throughout the United States by the 1920’s, but Harlem’s Hamilton Lodge Ball was the most famous, reportedly attracting up to two thousand costumed men (and women) in drag and up to three thousand spectators watching from the balconies.
Participants of the balls are quoted in history books about queer culture of the time as saying “What we wear at the ball this year, you’ll see hanging in the shops next year” describing the fantastic ball gowns the men created for themselves to exhibit, as well as “Allowing the freaks their one night out makes sense for everybody” in wry reference to the (bribery greased) tolerance the police showed these balls at least until the end on the 1930’s. I love both these quotes so much they have made it into the script of Speakeasy.
There are some fantastic images and newspaper articles of the time about these drag balls, which at their height appear to have been the largest of their kind ever pulled off. I am sharing many of these with this article. Below also find the demo track and lyrics of “Off to the Ballroom”, the song that describes the flamboyant but dangerous life of men and women who would crossdress on the streets of New York during the1920’s and 1930’s as well as their excitement at going to the big drag ball.
Drag Ball in Webster Hall in the 1920’s
According to the history books, Greenwich Village and Riverside Park were particularly popular areas for the unconventionally attired. Crossdressing openly on the streets, or simply wearing mascara as a man, put one in danger of being beat up by street toughs or roughed up and arrested by cops. Many were brought in front of a judge and sent to jail or sentenced to hard labor for up to six months.
But there were less dangerous opportunities for public displaying of queerness. In addition to the great drag balls, many speakeasies of the Prohibition era catered to homosexuals and/or cross dressers and their admirers. Since speakeasies were illegal to begin with, as they served alcohol, adding to shades of lawlessness by serving those outside the mainstream might have marginally raised a place’s chance at suffering a police raid, but also helped distinguish it as a night spot to seek out for its novelty. 
Thus Prohibition speakeasies helped create many more havens for homosexuals and transgender individuals than had ever existed before or would exist again for decades after the end of Prohibition. As the photographs clearly attest, above 125th street they also allowed for interracial mixing on a level that was not possible further downtown in those days.
Remember, December 7 is the first public reading of Speakeasy!
AND PLEASE CHECK OUT THE SPEAKEASY KICKSTARTER FUNDRAISING PAGE!
OFF TO THE BALLROOM
OFF TO THE BALLROOM
VARIOUS FAIRIES AND CROSSDRESSERS:
OFF TO THE BALLROOM
OFF TO THE GAY PARADE
OFF TO THE SWEET BLOOM
OF FANTASIES DISPLAYED
OFF TO THE BALLROOM
OFF TO THE MASQUERADE
OFF WITH THE GRAY GLOOM
THAT COLD CONVENTION MADE
OFF TO THE BALLROOM
FROCKED IN SOME CHOICE ATTIRE
BROAD LIKE A MUSHROOM
THAT FLOATS AND RUSTLES
WITH BOOMING BUSTLES
IN CRIMSON RED LIKE A HOUSE ON FIRE
OR SOMETHING SLEEKER
THAT MAKES KNEES WEAKER
THAT BECKONS ALL LIKE A TALL AND SHARP CATHEDRAL SPIRE
THERE AT THE BALLROOM
WHERE HAPPY SONGS ARE PLAYED
THERE I’LL BE DANCING
PRANCING, NANCING
THERE I’M THE GAYEST BLADE
WOMEN:
WOMEN WITH SHORT HAIR
NO MAKE UP ON THEIR EYES
TOUGH DAMES IN MEN’S WEAR
STIFF SUITS AND SNAZZY TIES
MEN:
BOYS IN MASCARA
HIGH HEELS UPON THEIR FEET
TEMPTING HIGH DRAMA
HIPS SWAYING IN THE STREET
ALL:
MASCULINE WOMEN
LUSH LADY-LILY-LADS
COME OUT AND SWIM IN
THE CITY BYWAYS
THE BROADWAY HIGHWAYS
THE VILLAGE CROSS-STREET AND HARLEM SIDEWALK
COME PAINT THE CITY
SO WILD AND WITTY
INSPIRING HEADTURNS AND SIDE-OF-MOUTH TALK
BUT LIFE AIN’T EASY – THE WORLD IS QUEASY
NOT ALL IS BREEZY – THEY CALL US SLEAZY
WE CAUSE CONFUSION AND CONSTERNATION
– OUR DEFT ILLUSION CAUSES SOME CONFUSION
BEAT COPS AND STREET TOUGHS – SOME FELLAS CRACK UP
ATTACK AND BEAT US – AND SOME ATTACK US
WE RISK BLACK EYES AND INCARCERATION
– FOR WE ARE SCARING THEM WITH WHAT WE’RE WEARING
SCARING THEM BY WEARING – DANGEROUS DISPLAY OF DARING
OUR DISPLAYS OF DARING – RAPTUROUS BEYOND COMPARING
(DANGEROUS DISPLAY OF DARING)
BUT IN THE BALLROOM
ALL LOVE THE GAY PARADE
BORN IN THE SWEET BLOOM
OF FANTASIES DISPLAYED
HERE IN THE BALLROOM
ALL JOIN THE MASQUERADE
FAR FROM THE GRAY GLOOM
THAT COLD CONVENTION MADE
OFF TO THE BALLROOM
SMART DAMES AND LILY LADS
HERE FIND ELATION
QUEER CONGREGATION
SHEER CELEBRATION
GAY, GLAMOROUS AND GLAD!
Prizewinners at the Hamilton Lodge drag ball
