Paul Michael Wegman or known as Miss P was born and raised in Rochester, New York and moved to Florida in 1960's, where he graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Theatre at the University of Central Florida. Although known as an entertainer for Parliament House, Wegman was also a performer at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater and adjunct professor at Valencia Community College. Over the years Paul received many awards and acknowledgements from local civic, charitable and theatrical organizations. Wegman passed away on August 24, 2004 due to complication resulting from AIDS.

Natasha Richards was born on November 21, 1972 and was born in Queens, New York but moved to Port Richey and later Clearwater, Florida. In her obituary, it is stated that: “Natasha was a natural born performer who loved to dance and sing as a small child. Her kind heart, generosity, and fantastic sense of humor made her center stage, both in drag and in life. She was truly a light and an icon in the Tampa Bay LGBTQ community and was loved by all who knew her. With the support of her mother, grandmother, and sisters, Natasha began performing professionally at the age of 15. She later went on to become the youngest crowned Miss Gay US of A. Natasha was truly a stunning performer who performed not only in the Tampa Bay area but around the United States and abroad as a result of the many titles she held. She was known for her impeccable appearance, spot on lip synching, dazzling choreography, and hilarious emceeing. She hosted many drag events in the Tampa Bay Area including drag queen bingo at Blur, Hamburger Mary’s, and gay bowling night at Dunedin Lanes. Another passion she had was instructing ballroom dance at Arthur Miller Dance Studio. Natasha loved her community and thrived off of the love of her supporters. She was always happy to take a photo with anyone, even as she performed. She also made time to mentor many young drag queens throughout their careers. Off stage, Natasha lived life to the fullest, never letting a single opportunity slip away. Whether it was flirting with a waiter at a dinner, or bringing a smile to someone’s face. Her generosity was evident through the care and compassion she showed her friends and family. She cherished the times spent with her nieces and nephews, especially on Halloween. This was one of Natasha's favorite times of the year, whether it was dressing up or trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. She would always make sure her beloved Nemo would also dress up and go along to trick-or-treat. Nemo is a Shih Tzu, whom Natasha adored and was her pride and joy. Always traveling with Natasha anywhere she went. Natasha was very active in the LGBTQ community and volunteered thousands of hours for Pride events, the Aids Service Association of Pinellas (ASAP), the Metro Wellness LGBT Welcome Center, and transgender equality.” Richards has achieved the titles: Miss Gay Orlando 1995, Miss Texas Continental 1995, Miss Gay US of A 1996, Miss Krash International 2000, Miss National 2003, and 1st Alternate to Miss Pulse 2005. Richards passed away on December 3, 2016. ]]>
Image credit: Image courtesy of LGBTQ History Museum of Central Florida.
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