Under the stage name Monty Montgomery, she was a glittering presence on the Auckland drag scene.
As a performer, producer and presenter, Montgomery was a high-profile drag king.
“My drag personality was described as a bit of a chaotic cowboy.
“A bit of the king of Karangahape Rd, so to speak.”
She produced many shows, including drag, quiz nights and cabaret, as well as hosting parties and festivals, alongside drag entertainers such as Kita Mean, Anita Wigl’it and Yuri Guaii.
She has now traded the colour of Karangahape Rd for a quieter life in Lawrence.
“I bought a wee little quarter acre section, a little villa that is from 1889 — it is a very old, very quaint little home.”
She moved about a year ago.
“My parents thought I was nuts.
“My friends were like, ‘what are you doing, you are at the peak of your performing career’.
“And I’m just like, ‘nah, I want to go move to the country’.”
She was now living her dream.
“When I saw it I was like ‘this is literally, word for word, everything that I envisioned’,” she said.
Once she left Auckland, she “packed up the drag thing”.
“I didn’t really want to do that type of shows, because they were very late at night, it was just wild and fun and whatnot, but I was like, no, I just really want to chill out now.
“I still do quiz nights and comedy nights and bingos and stuff like that.”
Moving to small-town life had been an incredible experience, she said.
“It is no small feat moving somewhere by yourself and hoping that people are going to like you, especially when you are someone like me that is a little bit different and out there.
“But instead I’ve been met with such open arms and such incredible people.”
That positive experience informed her decision to write about her journey and the result, Live, Laugh, Lawrence, will debut at the Dunedin Fringe Festival.
“It is not wearing a wig, it is not as a drag king.
“It is literally just me with a microphone telling the yarns and just sharing the story.”
Live, Laugh, Lawrence
Sunday, March 16 to Tuesday, March 18
7.30pm each night
18+ years
Suburbia Eatery and Nightlife
153 Stuart St
Central Dunedin
sam.henderson@thestar.co.nz
