Cape Town’s drag queens shine in Showmax’s new reality show Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap

From the creators of The Mommy Club, POP24, comes an exciting new reality TV series titled Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap. Set in the vibrant city of Cape Town, the show spotlights a dazzling lineup of drag queens, featuring renowned figures such as Emogan Moore, a multi-award winner, Ina Propriette, winner of Miss Sovereign Western Cape, Kat Gilardi, crowned Miss Cape Town Pride, Manila von Teez, runner-up on SA’s Got Talent, Maxine Wilde, champion of Miss Gay Western Cape, and notable house mothers BB Vahlour and Madisson Scarr, known for their fierce rivalry.

Premiering as a Showmax Original on July 18, 2024, and airing new episodes every Thursday, Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap invites viewers into the heart of Cape Town’s drag scene. From Miss Sovereign to Miss Gay Grassy Park, and venues like Beefcakes and Zer021, the series offers an exclusive glimpse into the grandest stages of this vibrant subculture.

Narrated in Gayle (gay slang primarily used by English and Afrikaans-speaking homosexual men) with subtitles, the show promises an eye-opening journey into a world of breathtaking transformations, iconic fashion moments, intense house rivalries, and the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood. Get ready for scandalous wig-gates and the drama of opposing queen mothers as Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap celebrates the artistry and community of Cape Town’s drag scene like never before.

Meet the queens

BB Vahlour

Pronouns: She/Her
Twenty-three-year-old Brandon Samuels, also known as BB Vahlour, is the mother of House of Vahlour. She only started drag after choreographing one of Emogan’s shows, so she is still relatively new to the drag scene but has already been featured in Vogue and was the runner up to Ina Propriette at Miss Sovereign Western Cape last year. She also has South African colours in gymnastics. BB has a nine-to-five job as a packaging operator.

Emogan Moore

Pronouns: He/They
Thirty-three-year-old Fabian van Schalkwyk, also known as Emogan Moore, has been doing drag for 13 years, winning multiple pageants. The sassy queen is also a netball coach and admin clerk at a primary school in Cape Town. Emogan is an openly gay man who wants to hold a safe space for queer children at the school where he works and in the community.

Ina Propriette

Pronouns: He/Him
Twenty-nine-year-old Wade Khoosal, also known as Ina Propriette, is a full-time drag queen who has been doing drag for five years, winning Miss Sovereign Western Cape last year and being featured in Vogue. Ina is very much into the ballroom culture in Cape Town; Wayne, on the other hand, is very butch.

Kat Gilardi

Pronouns: He/They
Forty-five-year-old Carl Richards, also known as Kat Gilardi, is the oldest and most experienced queen on the show. He has won many pageants, including Miss Cape Town Pride, and has crowned many of the other queens. He is also part of a singing group, Diva’s Only; the director of Mr and Ms Sovereign Western Cape; and has been happily married for 16 years to Errol Stroebel.

Madisson Scarr

Pronouns: She/Her
Twenty-six-year-old Madisson Scarr is a trans woman and professional dancer who found her love for drag during the Covid pandemic. A regular face on Expresso Morning Show on SABC 3, Madisson is the mother of Haus of Scarr.

Manila Von Teez

Pronouns: He/They
Drag pronouns: She/Her
Thirty-three-year-old Vion Wentzel, also known as Manila Von Teez, is originally from Elsies Rivier. She has been doing drag for more than 14 years, winning multiple pageants, including Miss Gay Cape Town 2014. In 2016, Manila became the first drag queen to be named Runner Up at SA’s Got Talent. Manila designs all their own clothes through their label Haus of Vjorn.

Maxine Wild

Pronouns: She/Her
Twenty-eight-year-old Gillian Archer, also known as Maxine Wild, has been doing drag for more than a decade and won Miss Gay Western Cape in 2019 and Miss Cape Town Pride 2019. By day, Maxine is a make-up artist and hairstylist, and by night she performs all across South Africa. Maxine is also the co-owner of drag house Drag Cartel.