Momma knows best. Why? Because E’Claire Devereaux’s performance journey started five decades ago and since then she has done, been and seen it all! 

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A born star, they started appearing in TV movies and commercials around 11 years-old and quickly realized they craved instant audience reaction. It was a local children’s theatre group that nurtured their burning desire to perform and soon dance and voice lessons were added, crafting E’Claire, then Johnnie into an early triple threat. On their way to studying music at university, he would win multiple awards for voice and dance including the Canadian National Championship. Faced with a decision to teach or perform after school, a role in a production of South Pacific meant Johnnie’s teaching ambitions would remain paused for the time being. 

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Upon ending their professional male-facing career in their 30’s, they jumped at the opportunity to learn drag and first appeared with Crystal Lite at the iconic Zelda’s Restaurant on Church Street in Toronto. In her early days, E’Claire was supported by and learned from Canadian drag legends including Farra N Hyte and Candice Kelly who taught her classic female impersonation techniques that have endured generations and that she’d later pass onto her drag children. 

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With a vast professional performance career already under their belt, E’Claire progressed and grew into a pageant queen representing Canada at the Miss Continental Plus pageant in 2007. She then competed in various pageants including winning the 2019 Canadian National Showgirl Supreme, as well as headlining shows and festivals throughout Ontario. When Athena Vegas entered her life in 2018, it gave E’Claire purpose to combine their talents, create a drag Haus and teach others how to fulfil their ambition and grow as performers. 

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At 56 years-old, her performance appearances are rarer than before, however E’Claire still manages the busy drag Haus, supports her drag children and is active in helping the next generation. In 2025, E’Claire will co-run the Imperial Court of Toronto’s premier pageants while continuing to recover from a stroke that sidelined them for the majority of 2024. 

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Drag mothers lift their drag children up while keeping them grounded. You can tell by Haus of Devereaux’s accomplishments or by asking any of her seven drag children and it’s clear, E’Claire is one of the best drag mothers around whose legacy continues to grow.