Get Out! GAY Magazine – Issue 566

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FIRE ISLAND PINES PARTY DREAMSCAPE

ISSUE #566
COVER:
VICTORIA FALLS
PUBLISHER MICHAEL TODD
MIKE@GETOUTMAG.COM
DESIGN AGOTA CORREA
AGOTA@GETOUTMAG.COM
CELEBRITY INTERVIEWER EILEEN SHAPIRO
@EILEENSHAPIRO3
NYC’S NIGHTLIFE AWARD WINNING BLOGGER/
WRITER & INTERVIEWER JIM SILVESTRI
NIGHTLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER WILSONMODELS
JEASO86@HOTMAIL.COM
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orientation of anyone portrayed therein.
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LORD NIL: 7 DEADLY SINS
at Stage 42 stars international
escape artist Lord Nil, who
will be joined on stage by an
ensemble cast in this limited
summer engagement.
A cast of 10 gorgeous men and
women join Lord Nil in Lord
Nil: 7 Deadly Sins, a theatrical
escape experience rooted in
ancient symbolism, raw physical
danger and psychological suspense.
What begins as a performance
quickly becomes a test
of will, fear and survival – the
most suspenseful 70 minutes of
your life. Ends August 31.
My name is Lord Nil. I am an escape artist
and writer.
The question I am most often asked is:
How do you cope with the tension of
going onstage every night and risking
death? I never know how to answer, and
now I will explain one of the reasons
that prevent me from giving a so-called
intelligent reply.
I don’t risk dying every night: We all risk
dying every day. So, perhaps the question
is: Why do you risk your life every night
on stage?
My father was a factory worker for 43
years and could have severed his hand at
the slightest distraction. My father-in-law
was a postman and risked being run over
by a car each day.
What is the difference between me and
them? Again, I see a different question.
Why am I so stupid as to expose myself
to crazy risks for simple entertainment?
Does a baseball player risk getting hit in
the eye for the sole purpose of swinging
a bat? Does a skydiver jump from great
heights to have a fun day? Does a soccer
player risk his knees to chase a ball?
Here’s my point: Yes, I risk drowning
while a giant pendulum tries to cut me
in half, I risk burning my skin on a hot
surface, I lock myself in a claustrophobic,
smoke-filled maze. And that’s only the
first half of the show.
My answer: Just as my father refined
his skills, and as my father-in-law
learned every street danger on his
route and the ball player spent his
youth training to become a winner,
the skydiver jumps 4,000 meters into
the void hundreds of times to acquire
the technique and the soccer player
spends years learning to kick a ball
with extreme skill, I train myself to
withstand the tension of fighting
against the adversities that face me
on stage each night.
The audience that gives me the
strength to persevere, I respect the
time and money they invest in me. I
know they could have done anything
else that night, and I thank them not
by risking death, but by celebrating
life. When they awaken the next
day, they will have added a beautiful
memory to their lives. For me, it will
be another day to thank death for
giving me more time to enjoy the
magnificent carousel of this existence.
If you find my writing melodramatic,
I promise that I am much more
entertaining as an escapologist.
Whatever you think, know that
facing death thinking it doesn’t exist
is foolish: risking your life without
taking any precautions is really stupid.
See you at the theater. Tonight. And
tomorrow. And the day after. LN

BY EILEEN SHAPIRO
CELEBRITY CORRESPONDENT
VICTORIA FALLS
The Crown, The Story, The Legacy
From the first time she stepped onto
a stage in a borrowed wig, Victoria
Falls has embodied a kind of magic
that can’t be taught—an alchemy of
glamour, grit and raw emotional truth.
Born and raised in the vibrant pulse
of Queens, she has transformed her
love of fashion and storytelling into
a drag persona that is equal parts
showstopper and soul-bearer. As Miss
Fire Island 2024, Victoria stands not
only as a reigning queen but as a living
thread in the tapestry of queer history,
carrying forward the traditions that
shaped her while fearlessly reimagining
what comes next. Every appearance is
an act of artistry, every performance
a testament to resilience, and every
moment in her presence feels like
history in the making.
You first adopted the
name Victoria Falls back
in college, growing
out of a spontaneous
karaoke gig. What do
you remember most
clearly from that first
transformative night?
I remember the
adrenaline. I walked
up in a borrowed wig,
lip-synced for my life to
a Whitney classic, and
something just clicked. I
wasn’t just performing—I
was channeling a version
of myself that had
always existed, waiting
for a stage. The name
“Victoria” came out of
my mouth before I had
time to second-guess it,
and from that moment,
she was real. I didn’t
know it then, but it was
the start of something
much bigger. Falls came
a little later on with my
volunteer work in the
Imperial Court Of New
York.
You were born in NYC
and raised in Queens,
with early interests in
costume design and
fashion. How did that
foundation shape your
drag persona and
journey?
Growing up in Queens,
you’re surrounded by
color, culture, resilience—
and plenty of flair. I was
always sketching gowns,
reimagining old clothes,
digging through fabric
and thrift stores on
Steinway Street. Fashion
wasn’t just a hobby—it
was a language I spoke
fluently. Drag became
the ultimate medium
to express my love for
costume, glamour and
storytelling. Victoria
Falls is a character, yes,
but she’s built on years
of stitching, styling and
studying silhouettes.

Being crowned Miss
Fire Island 2024 was
a momentous honor.
How did the experience
of winning compare
with your prior titles
like Cherry Grove
Homecoming Queen and
Miss Ice Palace?
Miss Fire Island felt like the
culmination of everything
I’d been building toward.
Those other titles—each
meaningful in its own
right—were stepping
stones, chapters in a
larger narrative. But Miss
Fire Island carries legacy,
history and a responsibility
to represent something
much bigger than myself.
Winning was both
humbling and electrifying.
I felt the weight of the
crown, not just on my
head—but in my heart.
Can you share one
moment during your
reign that stands out as
exceptionally meaningful
or transformative?
There was a Pride party
where I performed a
spoken word piece about
queer ancestry—part
tribute, part rallying cry.
Afterward, a young trans
woman came up to me in
tears and said it was the
first time she felt seen.
That moment reminded
me that drag isn’t just
sparkle—it’s sanctuary.
And if I can create even
one of those moments per
season, I’ve done my job.
You’ve described drag as
not just performance but
full character creation.
What’s your process
for transforming into
Victoria Falls, both inside
and out?
It starts with the story.
Who is Victoria tonight? A
showgirl from the 1940s?
A warrior priestess in
rhinestones? Once I lock
in the vision, I move to
mood boards, music,
costume construction and
makeup design. Mentally,
I enter a different space—
it’s like flipping a switch.
Victoria isn’t a mask; she’s
an amplification. And with
each lash, heel and hem, I
become more aligned with
her power.
What themes or
messages do you
explore most in your
drag, and how do they
reflect your personal
values or creative ethos?
Resilience, elegance and
evolution. I’m drawn
to themes of rebirth—
phoenix rising energy.
I often incorporate
symbolism from nature,
mythology and queer
history. I want my drag to
say, “You can be broken
and still glitter. You can
fight and still wear heels.”
My ethos is rooted in
authenticity and high
camp with heart.
Fire Island traditions
like the Fourth‐of‐July
Invasion and events
hosted at the Ice Palace
are significant queer
cultural touchstones.
How do you see yourself
contributing to that
heritage?
I see myself as both a
bridge and a torchbearer.
I honor the queens who
paved the way—those
who marched, who built
these stages with stilettos
and sweat—and I aim to
bring fresh vision while
preserving their legacy.
Whether I’m hosting,
performing or just being
present, I want every
moment to feel like part of
something sacred.
As someone deeply
embedded in the
Fire Island drag
community, how do
you envision fostering
trans/gender‐diverse
inclusivity in future
events and spaces?
By listening first—and then
amplifying. I believe in
making space and giving
up space when needed.
That means booking trans
talent, advocating behind
the scenes, challenging
outdated norms and
building coalitions that
reflect our full community.
Drag is, and always has
been, a gender-expansive
art form. It’s time all our
stages reflect that truth
more boldly.

CELEBRATING
25 YEARS OF CRUISING.
Visit www.squirt.org to join the action.

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