Ella Fitzgerald

Donnell Robinson (as ELLA FITZGERALD) was born in Warrenton, Virginia, on January 20, 1955. As the student many dubbed “the class clown,” Robinson always had a flair for the dramatic arts, frequently performing in school plays.Although he once donned a dress and wig for a high school talent show, he never dreamed that he would one day make his living as the “Hurricane on Heels.” But that day came in 1976 when Robinson took his first job as a female illusionist at a D.C. bar called The Plus One. By 1978, he had already tried out a number of stage names, including Sharon O’Brien and Fannie Brice.But it was as Ella Fitzgerald that Robinson settled into his first steady show as a regular cast member of the D.C. nightclub The Rogue. And in 1980, he landed the job that made him a local celebrity, as host of D.C.’s longest-running and most successful drag revue.During his 21-year tenure at Ziegfeld’s Show Bar, Robinson and his alter ego have captivated Washington audiences -- both gay and straight -- with a unique blend of female illusion, outrageous comedy and high melodrama.In August of 2001, Robinson was showcased as the subject of a feature story that ran on the front page of the Washington Post Style Section. In 1985, Washingtonian Magazine named Ella Fitzgerald “Best Drag Queen”; and Robinson has been featured numerous times in the Washington Blade and Metro Weekly.He has performed at the National Theatre and at The Miss District of Columbia Pageant. He has also won two prestigious honors from the Academy Awards of Washington, D.C. – Miss Gay Universe (1986) and Best Actress (1990). More recently, Robinson was featured on Hits From the Streets on BET and Gay Spectrum on the Arlington Cable System.In addition to his performance career, Robinson also works as a professional hairdresser and makeup artist. He resides in Arlington, Virginia.