MOTHER MARS

There is a piece inside us all that is ruled by Mars. The lust, temptation and desire that swells out of our hearts and into our veins. If you’re lucky, this impulse can ensue for a feverish night of euphoric possibilities. The pulse beating so loud, it can weave you through throngs of commotion. Taking you out of your seat, like a magnetic siren, and pulling you towards the epicenter of Saturday night vigor. Sister Louisa’s Church, a watering hole for locals inhabiting a similar thrist.

Satisfying the ravenous hunger, you’re suddenly a dot in an overflowing basement. Bouncing amongst the vibrating walls, swallowed whole, stuck buzzing like a fly in a bottle cap.

The room comes alive. The stage is its heartbeat. Then the show begins.

The choir sings for The Kourtesans. Taking command, the room quickly fades from nervous chatter to full on infatuation. The hypnotizing performances from each queen coming from mother Mars herself.

The Kourtesans take the Glory Hole stage every Saturday night. Made up of local Athens drag queens, the group was founded in 2015. Show Director and co-founder Karmella Macchiato breaks barriers with her striking performances.

“There’s always been a baby drag queen in me,” Macchiato laughs as we chat over the phone.

Discussing her start, Macchiato describes her sheltered childhood.

“When I first started, I loved the feeling I got while performing, meeting new people and just being around queer people,” Macchiato said. “I was the only gay kid at my high school, so I didn’t have any sense of queer community growing up.”

Admitting a lot of her performance inspiration comes from MTV and the worshiping of early 90s pop queens, Macchiato says it wasn’t until she played Aunt Marguerite in her high school’s production of “Dearly Departed” that she realized she wanted to emulate those Britney Spears dance routines she watched on rerun.

“I just thought ‘that would be so funny to do in drag,’” Macchiato said. “I didn’t realize at the time that drag was this political thing. I just thought people did it for fun. I ended up loving it, the campiness of it all, I was having fun, I was making people laugh up on stage. I loved it.”

It wasn’t until after high school when a friend of hers suggested a four week drag competition at the local bar that it finally stuck.

“The opportunity came up where they were having a four week drag competition in Athens, and I just thought I’d go and be silly and 8 years later, I'm still performing. It did not last four weeks. I'll tell you that.”

Not long after, Macchiato began to make roots in Athens as a local Queen. Following the competition, she confesses there weren’t any open performance groups willing to offer “creative control,” something she craved.

“I wanted creative control of the shows I did, so we started The Kourtesans. We got a really good response when we first started. We were all really young, brand new performers but we had passion, energy and a true love of the art.”

Something they still emulate today, The Kourtesans take charge with every performance, easily showcasing their carefully curated craftsmanship. When the lights dim and Britney takes the speakers, an overwhelming euphoria washes over the doting gospel as they reach their hands up and praise.

“My very first show was exciting and nerve wrecking, but as soon as the music came on, I became a totally different person,” Semaj Onyx Coxring, a Kourtesan member, said. “After that, I was so pumped and ready to do another show. That’s when I knew I was a natural performer. When I hear the crowd, it gives me confidence. Performing makes me feel like a powerful woman. Performing gives me so much life. It's my therapy.”

Like any true artist, both Macchiatto and Coxring agree on how performing not only serves as a way of expression, but as a type of therapy as well.

“Drag has been my coping mechanism in a lot of ways,” Macchiatto said. “My ex passed away this past summer and through the navigation of my own feelings, I realized it was okay to put those emotions in my performance because it was such a big part of my life. I want to share those hard moments as well, not just be a character all the time.”

Coxring sympathizes, “Drag has helped me find myself and saved my life.”

The Kourtesan’s iconic, passionate and energy-filled performances always leave the gospels screaming for an encore. Their relation to the crowd is something that comes easily to them. Though their on stage presence is in no doubt fierce, both Coxring and Macchiatto explain how their off stage life is no different from anybody else's.

“Off stage I am a private person,” Coxring said. “I get along with pretty much anyone. I’m very humble, loving and kind hearted. My drag persona is a strong Black woman. I grew up around and observing strong Black women, and I idolized them. My drag persona is not too off from myself. My persona is very open and caring, but I’m not that open and personable.”

Macchiato agrees. She attempts to keep Karmella in a separate room when she’s not performing.

“I’m very lowkey when I'm not on stage.” Macchiato said. “I like to go to work, come home, chill and mind my business. I don't really go out much when I'm not dressed up, I try to keep Karmella in a separate room. I have my own drag studio in my apartment where Karmella stays. and it's really awesome for my mental health to separate the two in my personal spaces. I think she's just that cool mom, that MILF, that I just want to exude on stage. She's an extension of myself that I want to portray as an artist. It's a part of who I am on the inside but not entirely who I am. Karmella is my armor, she makes me feel untouchable in a way.”

Don’t miss their next show! You can find The Kourtesans on Instagram at @thekourtesans , @karmxlla and @ semajcoxring

Eros is a being of delayed gratification, constantly alluring and vying in the attention. Eros pulls you in greedily and awakens all that is buried within you. The energy is loud and luscious, calling out any resistance due to fear. Eros is a reverent energy that inspires both deconstruction and recreation. Fear is absolved. Love is celebrated. Embrace all that you are. Taste the power of being.