Erica Andrews
Erica Andrews | |
---|---|
entrepreneur | |
Years active | 1988–2013 |
Known for | Drag performance, beauty pageant winner, stage and film performance |
Erica Andrews (September 30, 1969 – March 11, 2013) was a Mexican international and national beauty pageant title winner, drag performer, actress, entrepreneur, and activist.
Early life and career
Erica Andrews was born on September 30, 1969, in Allende, Nuevo León, Mexico.[1][2][3][4]
She grew up on a small ranch called Los Aguirres in the rural outskirts of Allende, where there was little electricity.[5] She changed her name to Erica, a name she derived from a phonetic pronunciation of Eddie. She attached a colloquial ca to the end of Eddie so that it sounded like Eddieca and formed the name Erica.[6] Consequently, she became Erica Salazar.[7] Beginning around 1989–1990, she took on the stage name Erica Hutton.[5][8] She named herself after Lauren Hutton, whom she admired.[5] After she met Tandi Andrews, who became her drag mother and mentor,[1][5] she changed her stage name to Erica Hutton Andrews and subsequently to Erica Andrews.
Andrews was born into a family with two older brothers and a younger sister.
In an interview with Ambiente Magazine in 2005, Andrews recalled a difficult childhood. She described being referred to as a little girl instead of a little boy by a guest speaker at her
Career
At 18, she was introduced to drag and female impersonation through her then-boyfriend, who was himself a female impersonator and drag pageant contestant.
Beauty pageants
Andrews actively participated in beauty pageants, becoming a celebrated multi-national and international titleholder. According to an article in the Houston Chronicle, she was considered to be "one of the most decorated queens on the pageant circuit".[12] She was also called "the most beautiful drag queen in captivity".[13] The first pageant title that Andrews won was Miss Just Us (1989).[14] She was a promoter for the Miss Texas Continental franchise.[15]
Andrews won numerous pageant titles.[16] Her titles include:
Year | Title | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1997 | Miss Gay Texas USofA[17] | Houston, Texas
|
Event venue was Inergy Club (never known as Rich's Houston) presently not called Crystal Night Club. |
1999 | Miss Gay USofA[17] | Dallas, Texas | Event venue was Dallas Grand Hotel Ballroom. |
2001 | Miss Texas Continental[17] | San Antonio, Texas | Event venue was The Saint. (before Paper Moon) |
2004 | Miss Florida Continental[17] | Miami, Florida
|
Andrews also won the best gown and talent awards. |
2004 | Universal ShowQueen[17] | Honolulu, Hawaii
|
Event held on June 26, 2004, at the Pacific Ballroom of the Ilikai Hotel. |
2004 | Miss Continental[17] | Chicago, Illinois | Event sponsored by Baton Show Lounge and held at the Park West Theater. Andrews had competed for Miss Continental in 1998 (top 12) and in 2001 (5 Runner up). |
2006 | Miss International Queen[17] | Pattaya City, Thailand
|
The world's most prestigious and largest beauty pageant for international transgender women. Event held on October 29, 2006, at Tiffany's Show Theater, Pattaya City, Chonburi, Thailand. Andrews competed under the Mexican flag. She chose to compete for her country of origin/birth. She presented the Miss International Queen organization with her birth certificate and was allowed. |
2006 | National Entertainer of the Year, FI[17] | Louisville, Kentucky | Event venue was the Connection Complex. |
Live performances
Andrews performed on the United States LGBT drag circuit.[1] Andrews performed at San Antonio nightclubs like The Saint, Heat, The Bonham, and The Pegasus.[1]
Andrews imitated Hollywood greats such as
Drag Family
Erica was the drag mother of Janet Fierce Andrews,
Activism
In 2010, Andrews was the first model for the Faces of Life photographic project that originated from Dallas, Texas. The project by Jorge Rivas was created to bring awareness to people who are
Later life and death
In 2012, after making San Antonio her home base for many years, Andrews moved to Indiana, to be with her boyfriend.[15]
Andrews died from complications as a result of a
Works
Television
Year | Title | Episode | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2001 | The Maury Povich Show
|
Sexy, Hot Ladies...Or Are They?[17] | Herself | Episode aired on January 30, 2001. |
? | The Maury Povich Show
|
Male Or Female![17] | Herself | |
2006 | Trantasia[17]
|
Herself | Documentary based on The World's Most Beautiful Transsexual Contest. | |
2007 | The Tyra Banks Show[17] | Trantasia | Herself | Season 3, episode 56. Episode aired on Tuesday, November 27, 2007.< |
Stage productions
In 2002, Andrews' first stage performance was in Jotos del Barrio, a play written by Jesus Alonzo that explored the lives of young gay Latinos. The play was presented as a series of poems, monologues, and vignettes. She played a transgender character, Janie la Transie. In an interview with the San Antonio Current, Andrews spoke of her ability to relate to the character. She also played an additional role as the biological mother of a young gay male.[7]
In 2004, Andrews played the lead role of The Succubus, a vampire lesbian, in Charles Busch's off-Broadway satirical play Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, produced by the Actors Theatre of San Antonio group.[11]
In 2009, Andrews performed in Jesus Alonzo's play Miss America: A Mexicanito's Fairy Tale at the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center in San Antonio.[21] The play was about a nine-year-old boy, Chuy, who dreamed of becoming Miss America. Andrews portrayed Chuy's fairy godmother.[12]
Year | Title | Role | Playwright | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2002 | Jotos del Barrio[7] | Janie la Transie Biological mother to young gay male |
Jesus Alonzo | Jump-Start Theater, San Antonio, Texas | Andrews played dual roles in the production. Andrews participated in the Jotos del Barrio one-night only encore performance at the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, San Antonio, Texas, on May 10, 2002. Listed as Erica Salazar on production credits. |
2009 | Miss America: A Mexicanito's Fairy Tale[21] | Fairy godmother | Jesus Alonzo | Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, San Antonio, Texas |
Film
Andrews appeared three times on
Andrews' screen appearances included the
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2010 | Ticked-Off Trannies with Knives[17] | Emma Grashun |
Music video
Year | Artist | Album | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2011 | Deborah Vial | Stages and Stones | Don't Make Me Take It | As Deborah Vial's love interest[22] | Andrews debuts at the 0:42 time marker of the video. |
References
- ^ a b c d e f Ledezma, Julian (March 20, 2013). "Erica Andrews, SA's brightest LGBT star is gone". San Antonio Current. Archived from the original on March 22, 2013. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
- ^ ISBN 978-0984619559. Archivedfrom the original on April 14, 2016. Retrieved June 16, 2015.
- ^ a b c Fernandez, David (February 2005). "An Interview with the lovely Erica Andrews". Ambiente. San Antonio, Texas. Archived from the original on 2013-09-06. Retrieved 2013-03-24.
- ^ a b c d "Just Keep Breathing: Richard Curtin Interviews Erica Andrews". Rational Broadcasting. Dallas, Texas. October 23, 2012. Archived from the original on September 6, 2013. Retrieved March 19, 2013.
- ^ a b c d Taylor, Bob (March 21, 2002). "Interview With Erica Andrews". CarrieFairfield.com. New York City, New York. Archived from the original on September 6, 2013. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
- ^ a b c "Erica Andrews on The Tyra Banks Show". YouTube. 2009. Archived from the original on 2015-03-03. Retrieved 2015-06-14.
- ^ a b c d Kimura, Wendi (March 21, 2002). "Straight on Queers". San Antonio Current. Archived from the original on September 6, 2013. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
- ^ Beltran, Jacob (March 13, 2013). "Female illusionist a star who paved way for others". San Antonio Express-News. Archived from the original on March 17, 2013. Retrieved March 14, 2013.
- ^ "Obituary: Erica Salizar". San Antonio Express News. March 24, 2013. Archived from the original on September 6, 2013. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
- ^ ASIN B000V3IXBO.
- ^ a b c d e "The Club Luxor Promo on Erica Andrews". Club Luxor. Lubbock, Texas. Archived from the original on 2013-03-23. Retrieved 2013-03-19.
- ^ a b c "San Antonio drag icon Erica Andrews dies". Q San Antonio. March 12, 2013. Archived from the original on March 28, 2013. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
- ^ "Performer Erica Andrews passes away". Chicago Pride. March 12, 2013. Archived from the original on March 15, 2013. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
- ^ "DragShowcase Interviews Erica Andrews". DragShowcase. September 30, 2008. Archived from the original on September 16, 2013. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
- ^ a b c d Jones, Arnold Wayne (March 12, 2013). "Dallas drag diva Erica Andrews dies". Dallas Voice. Archived from the original on March 15, 2013. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
- ^ "Erica Andrews dies". Windy City Times. Chicago, Illinois. March 11, 2013. Archived from the original on March 15, 2013. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Guerra, Joey (March 12, 2013). "Drag icon Erica Andrews passes away". The Houston Chronicle blog. Houston, Texas. Archived from the original on March 14, 2013. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
- ^ "Erica Andrews as Jessica Rabbit". YouTube. 2006. Archived from the original on 2015-12-19. Retrieved 2015-06-14.
- ISBN 978-0-7546-7622-5.
- ^ "Erica Andrews". Queer Magnet. San Antonio, Texas. Archived from the original on 2013-09-06. Retrieved 2013-03-25.
- ^ a b c Rindfuss, Bryan (June 9, 2010). "The house that Tandi built". San Antonio Current. Archived from the original on September 6, 2013. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
- ^ a b Andreoli, Rick (December 7, 2011). "Singer-Songwriter Deborah Vial - A Woman You Need To Know". Gay.net. Dallas, Texas. Archived from the original on April 24, 2013. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
- ^ Lindsey, Steven (March 26, 2010). "Dallas filmmaker Israel Luna premiering new film in New York to much controversy". Dallas Voice. Archived from the original on April 25, 2010.
External links
- Erica Andrews at IMDb