Lesbian
Trans
People of Color
Drag Queen/King
Some farewells land softly. This one lands like a perfectly timed punchline followed by a lump in the throat.
After three decades in heels and decades more in service, Michael Byrne, the performer behind the legendary drag persona Carlota Ttendant, is preparing to retire from hosting GayBINGO! at the end of the organization’s 30th anniversary season. The culminating curtain call is set for June 13, 2026, closing a chapter that helped define how Philadelphia laughs, gathers, and fights for its own.
If you have ever been in the room when the numbers start flying, you already know. GayBINGO! is not just bingo. It is drag as community service. It is camp with a mission. It is the kind of night where strangers become tablemates, tablemates become friends, and friends become chosen family.
And for many in Philadelphia, Carlota Ttendant has been the glittering heartbeat of it all.
In reflecting on her retirement, Michael Byrne has been honest about the emotional and physical commitment required to lead a monthly phenomenon for thirty years. Hosting is not just about stage presence. It is preparation, endurance, volunteer coordination, and heart.
That balance between laughter and loss defined the early years of GayBINGO! and the height of the AIDS crisis. What appeared on the surface as irreverent entertainment was, in reality, a lifeline for a grieving community.
“This was a much different time,” Byrne reflected. “There were not the drugs and treatments we have today. It became this over the top night of fun, but behind the scenes it was a fragile balance. For whoever becomes the next host, be fun and have fun.”
GayBINGO! began in 1996 at the Gershman Y as a grassroots fundraiser supporting HIV services. It quickly transformed into a cultural force powered by drag, wit, and unapologetic community activism.
The iconic Bingo Verifying Divas zipped across the floor. Traditions were born. Audiences stood for O 69. They groaned at B 7. They pounded tables. They laughed loudly and gave generously.
Tickets began selling out in five to ten minutes. Additional seatings were added. National media took notice. Collaborations expanded. What started as a local fundraiser became a nationally recognized event infused with unmistakable Philly spirit.
At the center of it all stood Carlota Ttendant, dazzling in sequins and declaring, “I am your hostess, Carlota Ttendant. I want you to park it all night and leave your keys.”
It was outrageous. It was hilarious. It was lifesaving.
Today, GayBINGO! supports the work of Action Wellness, an organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of people living with HIV and those at high risk of acquiring HIV.
Through trauma informed services including medical case management, housing support, perinatal care, prison outreach programs, and Buddy services, Action Wellness serves more than 2,000 clients and their families annually across Philadelphia, Bucks County, and Delaware County.
HIV is no longer the death sentence it once was, thanks to advancements in treatment and prevention. But stigma remains. Access disparities remain. The need for funding remains.
That is why GayBINGO! still matters.
There are four remaining opportunities to see Carlota Ttendant take the stage during the 30th anniversary season:
Boogie Wonderland GayBINGO!
March 14, 2026
Sitcom Moms GayBINGO!
April 11, 2026
Happy 30th Birthday GayBINGO!
May 9, 2026
Rainbow Bombshell GayBINGO!
June 13, 2026 Pride Month Farewell Celebration
The event is held at Congregation Rodeph Shalom in Philadelphia. Doors open at 6:00 PM. Bingo begins at 7:00 PM. Tickets are available online for $50 and $60 at the door when available.
“After 30 years in these heels, it is time to pass the torch to a new generation,” Byrne said.
That torch carries more than a microphone. It carries a history of resilience. It carries the memory of those lost. It carries the joy that kept a community standing when standing felt impossible.
When Carlota Ttendant makes her final entrance this June, it will not simply mark the end of a performance. It will mark a city saying thank you to a generation that turned grief into action and action into a legacy.
And when the curtain falls, the work continues. Louder. Brighter. Fiercely committed to the belief that joy and activism belong on the same stage.
Thank you, Michael Byrne. Thank you, Carlota Ttendant. And thank you to every volunteer, donor, and performer who helped make GayBINGO! a Philadelphia institution.
After three decades in heels and decades more in service, Michael Byrne, the performer behind the legendary drag persona Carlota Ttendant, is preparing to retire from hosting GayBINGO! at the end of the organization’s 30th anniversary season. The culminating curtain call is set for June 13, 2026, closing a chapter that helped define how Philadelphia laughs, gathers, and fights for its own.
If you have ever been in the room when the numbers start flying, you already know. GayBINGO! is not just bingo. It is drag as community service. It is camp with a mission. It is the kind of night where strangers become tablemates, tablemates become friends, and friends become chosen family.
And for many in Philadelphia, Carlota Ttendant has been the glittering heartbeat of it all.
The End of an Era and a Pride Month Goodbye
In reflecting on her retirement, Michael Byrne has been honest about the emotional and physical commitment required to lead a monthly phenomenon for thirty years. Hosting is not just about stage presence. It is preparation, endurance, volunteer coordination, and heart.
“This journey has been joyful, exhausting, heartbreaking and extraordinary. We had so much fun and brought the laughs, but we also lost many close to us. There were times we would be having so much fun on that stage and then we would be crying. We had to pick up and keep going because if we did not we would have lost our minds.”
Carlota Ttendant
That balance between laughter and loss defined the early years of GayBINGO! and the height of the AIDS crisis. What appeared on the surface as irreverent entertainment was, in reality, a lifeline for a grieving community.
“This was a much different time,” Byrne reflected. “There were not the drugs and treatments we have today. It became this over the top night of fun, but behind the scenes it was a fragile balance. For whoever becomes the next host, be fun and have fun.”
From the Gershman Y to a Philadelphia Institution
GayBINGO! began in 1996 at the Gershman Y as a grassroots fundraiser supporting HIV services. It quickly transformed into a cultural force powered by drag, wit, and unapologetic community activism.
The iconic Bingo Verifying Divas zipped across the floor. Traditions were born. Audiences stood for O 69. They groaned at B 7. They pounded tables. They laughed loudly and gave generously.
Tickets began selling out in five to ten minutes. Additional seatings were added. National media took notice. Collaborations expanded. What started as a local fundraiser became a nationally recognized event infused with unmistakable Philly spirit.
At the center of it all stood Carlota Ttendant, dazzling in sequins and declaring, “I am your hostess, Carlota Ttendant. I want you to park it all night and leave your keys.”
It was outrageous. It was hilarious. It was lifesaving.
The Mission Behind the Magic
Today, GayBINGO! supports the work of Action Wellness, an organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of people living with HIV and those at high risk of acquiring HIV.
Through trauma informed services including medical case management, housing support, perinatal care, prison outreach programs, and Buddy services, Action Wellness serves more than 2,000 clients and their families annually across Philadelphia, Bucks County, and Delaware County.
HIV is no longer the death sentence it once was, thanks to advancements in treatment and prevention. But stigma remains. Access disparities remain. The need for funding remains.
That is why GayBINGO! still matters.
Final Performances
There are four remaining opportunities to see Carlota Ttendant take the stage during the 30th anniversary season:
Boogie Wonderland GayBINGO!
March 14, 2026
Sitcom Moms GayBINGO!
April 11, 2026
Happy 30th Birthday GayBINGO!
May 9, 2026
Rainbow Bombshell GayBINGO!
June 13, 2026 Pride Month Farewell Celebration
The event is held at Congregation Rodeph Shalom in Philadelphia. Doors open at 6:00 PM. Bingo begins at 7:00 PM. Tickets are available online for $50 and $60 at the door when available.
Passing the Torch
“After 30 years in these heels, it is time to pass the torch to a new generation,” Byrne said.
That torch carries more than a microphone. It carries a history of resilience. It carries the memory of those lost. It carries the joy that kept a community standing when standing felt impossible.
When Carlota Ttendant makes her final entrance this June, it will not simply mark the end of a performance. It will mark a city saying thank you to a generation that turned grief into action and action into a legacy.
And when the curtain falls, the work continues. Louder. Brighter. Fiercely committed to the belief that joy and activism belong on the same stage.
Thank you, Michael Byrne. Thank you, Carlota Ttendant. And thank you to every volunteer, donor, and performer who helped make GayBINGO! a Philadelphia institution.
