Key West Florida Weekly

DRAG LIFE

Towering Inga tops them all



 

 

Imagine a living, 6-foot-plus tall Barbie doll with the same relative bust-to-hip ratio and requisite long, flowing blond hair. That’s the Inga whom I have seen perform, admire and got to know almost two decades ago.

She is a Swedish bombshell who arrived in Key West on Aug. 5, 1997, looking like a model for haute couture, albeit with more curves. Two days later she burst onto the local drag scene on stage at the 801 “in a black velvet dress with the butt cheeks cut out.” It was quite a debut, and is remembered still.

Born in a small town south of Stockholm, Roger Hultman began acting on stage as a 10-year-old child and became fascinated by the artistic theater crafts of costuming and makeup. By 17 he was head designer and was costuming entire musicals.

The Inga persona was born when Roger “started doing drag at 19. I’m 21 now, so it’s two years,” Inga said coyly, deep dimple flashing. The conversation was taking place as she sat for a portrait by watercolorist and part-time Key Wester Joan Becker; the setting was Mark “Marco” Schreiber’s year-old Rockhouse Masterpieces gallery at Julia and Whitehead streets.

The venue was perfect for an interview; the subject was captive, in full, flouncy, colorful costume, huge hair and full trademark makeup. Over the years Inga has grown considerably bigger and taller. Capitalizing on size, the character has graduated into higher and higher heels and bigger and bigger hair. She’s close to 7 feet tall now.

Inga’s warm, show-biz personality, sense of humor and immense talent for makeup and costuming have grown right along with her, and now she is a vision to be reckoned with.

After his original drag debut at a place called Stars and Stripes in Gottenberg, Roger took a job with a travel company and, from his early 20s, working with a choreographer; he costumed casts in Spain, Greece and Cyprus, three months at a time, in the spring and fall. They moved among hotels in European tourist towns, two weeks at each hotel. That was when the tropical bug bit — resulting in an affection for “palm trees and heat,” Inga explained. “It was great! I did drag in the off-season.

“A friend from Sweden was working here in Key West and I decided I wanted to check it out.

Inga was part of Sushi’s original company, the 801 Girls, who included Gugi, Kiley, MaJohn, Mila and RV. She has also appeared at LaTeDa, Epoch, Diva’s and KWest and for the last 16 years has been at Aqua.

As the Roger persona, he lives alone with his two dogs, “my bitches, Spencer and Darla.” His job title is now show director at Aqua and he works five or six days a week, two or three shows a night. “I love it. I’m happy. It’s something I wanted to do and I’m happy I can do it for a living. Michael and Kimball are great people, great bosses.” The demanding schedule is mitigated by the fact that he doesn’t require a lot of sleep — 1 till 6 a.m., and he always takes a nap from 3 till 5 p.m.

“I’m happy,” he said for the third time. The guy really, really is happy.

Inga can be seen nightly at 9 p.m.

Thursdays, Fridays at 9 and 11 p.m.

Saturdays at 7, 9 and 11 p.m. ¦


 

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *