Hall Of Fame Ashley Swift

 The Drag Industry Variety Awards are proud to announce the 2025 Inductee to the DIVA Hall Of Fame is Ashley Swift.

Ashley is a well-known performer in our community for forty years. More than a performer Ashley is also a Show Producer, Creative Director, Choreographer, Dancer/Actor, Hair and Makeup-artist and Costume Designer.

Ashley first appeared on our stages as a young dancer in Simone Troys infamous cabaret Rip Off. Simone with her male dancers packed the Imperial Hotel showroom in 1986 and 87. It was a wild introduction for Ashley who was a star from day one.

Such was the success of Rip Off that in 1988 Simone presented The Baby Jane Show with Ashley playing the part of the maid – wearing a dress for the first time.

Such was his magnetism that on seeing his performance the Director, Richard Wherrett, invited Ashely to join the cast of the 1988, 10^th anniversary Mardi Gras party show. This show, now Mardi Gras folk law, Chain Reaction, was the first of the big flashy production party shows, from which everything else has followed. Imagine Ashley being part of such a spectacle along with the stars of the day – no more sensational an entrée to the Sydney drag family has ever happened.

In the late eighties he contributed to the big events of the time such as the RAT Parties, Sweatbox and Bacchanalia as a male dancer and creative. On Oxford Street he was a dancer in Penny Clifford’s Raw Images, appearing at DCM and the Unicorn Hotel.

Back in drag Ashley enjoyed success in the groundbreaking Skye Brooks and Company at the Imperial Hotel. These performers were pushing performance in new directions; it was the perfect place for Ashely to be at this time.

It is from this time that Ashely began to develop one of his most precious talents – to be innovative in his creative vison and drive.

He joined the second incarnation of the avant-garde Scary Fairies with Pat Gently, and Maude Boate. They are three individuals known for their creative abilities.  Winning the Most Popular Showcast of 1992 their night at the Albury Hotel packed the place for years.

Ashley together with his creative partner Maude Boate morphed from the Fairies to the breakthrough show Galaxy at DCM in 1996. This was the hottest ticket in town winning a total of 5 DIVA Awards: Most Popular Showcast and Show of the Year in 1996 and 1997. The only show to ever win that Award in consecutive years.

Ashley was on fire, showcasing his creative muscle by winning both Choreographer of the Year and the Entertainer of the Year in 1997.

Such was Ashley’s star power in 1998 he was chosen to lead the 20^th anniversary Mardi Gras party show; I am what I am (version 2). Out in front of 150 drag queens and showgirls, the RHI packed to the rafters, the memory of this show is still cherished by the community.

The drawn of a new Millenium was about to see Ashley’s innovative talent shake up the Sydney scene again.

Ashley said that the scene appeared to be heavily influenced by ‘Priscilla,’ with its impact clear in production shows throughout town. He wanted to do something of a pop concert aesthetic with chory, staging, sets, curtains, and styling.

DIVASTATED arrived in 2002.

You may have heard of the expression, Millenium Drag; well, this is where it originated. Ashley hired Vanity (then Vanity Faire) the DIVA 2001 Entertainer of the Year and an emerging Courtney Act, DIVA Rising Star 2002 to join him as the drag cast. He found two young male dancers who were doing exciting work at the Venus Room, Simon Drew and Matt Eaton. In a stroke of genius, he added Mamma Shirl to cap off the perfect cast to turn his concept into reality.

Divastated won the DIVA for Most Popular Showcast and Outstanding DIVA Moment in 2003. Ashley won the DIVA for Choreographer of the Year 2004.

Divastated staged four shows, Divastated, Icons, Metamorphosis, and Next Genderration over several years at the Midnight Shift.  Friday night clubbers would come especially to see these shows, and the atmosphere was electric.

Ashely spread his wings and spent ten years in Europe and the UK where he gave them a taste of the Sydney production show. He had great success at Ministry of Sound in Barcelona and Beyond and Matinee in London.

In his latest innovative chapter, Ashley is working in event production and costume design for film. Ashley said, ‘having a gender fluid career I feel that all of my work whether in the straight or gay scene is accredited to the creative freedom and tools that drag has provided.