LONDON – According to reports on social media, famous San Francisco drag queen Heklina was found dead Monday in London where she was performing in a touring show.
The death of Heklina – also known as actor Stefan Grygelko – was first reported in social media posts by drag queen and performing partner Peaches Christ (aka Joshua Grannell), who Heklina was touring with in “Mommie Queerest,” a musical parody the 1981 Joan Crawford biopic Mommie Dearest.
“I’m living in a real nightmare so forgive me if I don’t have all the answers right now,” reads the post, which Grannell made on both the Peaches Christ Facebook page and the page under his name. “This morning I went to London, England to pick up my dear friend Heklina who is co-starring with me on a Mommie Queerest show here and found her dead. I do not yet know the cause of death. I know this is shocking news and I’m beyond stunned, but I wanted to let people know what happened.”
The Soho Theatre, which was hosting the production of Mommie Queerest, tweeted what Peaches had shared with Christ, saying they were “in shock and incredibly saddened by the news of Heklina’s death.”
Supervisor Matt Haney also tweeted about the loss of Heklina, whom he called “a drag legend, brilliant performer and game-changing community icon.”
“My condolences and love go out to all of Heklina’s friends, family and loved ones, as well as the entire LGBTQ and drag community,” he added.
It is so shocking and sad to hear about the loss of Heklina, a drag legend, brilliant performer and pioneering community icon. My condolences and love go out to all of Heklina’s friends, family and loved ones, as well as the entire LGBTQ and drag community.
— Matt Haney (@MattHaneySF) April 3, 2023
State Senator Scott Wiener released a statement after the news broke.
“I am absolutely devastated. Heklina was an icon in every sense of the word – funny, caring, outrageous and brave. I first saw Heklina perform when I was a young gay man in the 1990’s, new to San Francisco. I met her and helped her find a place for Oasis. I’ve rarely worked with anyone so wild, creative and engaging,” Wiener said. “Heklina created events and communal spaces that turned glitter and huge wigs and raucous jokes into a sense of home. She was resolutely outspoken and sat down always committed to her friends and community. She was the soul of San Francisco, and it’s hard to imagine the city without her.”
“Heklina was also a staunch defender of drag – which is currently under intense attack – and created opportunities for young drag queens to find their place,” he added. “As we mourn, we must honor her memory by remembering the joy she brought us and the importance of the art form to which she dedicated her life.”
San Francisco Pride Board President Nguyen Pham released the following statement, calling the sudden death “completely heartbreaking.”
“Personally, I am honored and grateful to have worked directly with Heklina and to have participated in their spectacular, memorable productions numerous times over the years, serving countless community members and allies for many generations. She was unstoppable and a champion like no other.”
In addition to appearing with Peaches Christ in a variety of stage productions, as well as Dorothy Zbornak in the San Francisco drag production of The Golden Girls, which regularly put on sold-out runs of its annual Christmas show, Heklina was best known as one of the co-founders of the long-running drag Show “Trannyshack” that started at the stud in the mid-1990s.
More recently, Heklina was part of the group of owners who reopened the Oasis nightclub and theater in San Francisco’s SoMa neighborhood, which had its grand reopening in 2014. She has also appeared regularly as a host and presenter for a variety of community events.
Details of the cause of death were not released.