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WILKES-BARRE — Not many people recognize Shawn Ebert on the street.

In fact, a lot of residents in the Wyoming Valley only know Ebert by his alter ego, Estella Sweet.

Ebert, who is the general manager of Heat Bar & Nightclub, has been performing as Sweet for more than 10 years, and his talents have taken him to compete in Philadelphia’s Drag Wars.

At Heat, Ebert is in charge of staff, booking entertainment and taking care of marketing for the club, in addition to performing. Estella headlines twice a month at Heat.

“I’m a busy guy,” Ebert laughed.

Ebert, who lives in Wilkes-Barre, is originally from Northampton, graduated from Palmerton High School in 2000 after moving, and attended the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute in Pittsburgh, where he studied hotel/restaurant management. Ebert moved to Wilkes-Barre in 2004.

Ebert is a lifelong performer. He was in chorus in school and participated in the school plays throughout high school. While he loved performing, and even got into Kutztown’s theater program, he said he wanted a course of study with a little more job security.

“I didn’t want to take a chance at going to a four-year school and not having a job,” he said.

Ebert said both of his parents are cooks, and he thought “people need to eat,” so went to western Pennsylvania for college.

“That way, I could go back to school for anything else if need be,” he said.

Once he was living in the area, Ebert decided to give drag performance a chance.

“I had done drag for the first time for Halloween in 2005,” he said. “A couple months later, I decided I was going to give it a go, and I never looked back.”

Ebert started at Heat as a bartender in 2014 and was promoted to general manager in early 2015. When he started, Ebert said there wasn’t an established “hierarchy of drag.”

While the club hosted a few shows before he arrived, Ebert helped put Heat on the map for both local performers and performers from bigger cities, such as Philadelphia.

“I reached outside of Wilkes-Barre,” he said. “What I strive to do is bring in entertainment you can’t find in Wilkes-Barre.”

Through social media, Ebert has been able to create a network of performers across the country and bring in entertainment, such as drag queens from the television series “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” and even bring in entertainers from the United Kingdom.

Ebert has been able to combine both his talents for performing as well as managing to make Heat an entertainment destination in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

It’s not just about the entertainment, however. Ebert said his favorite part of his job is providing a welcoming environment for everybody.

The effect of Ebert’s work — both as Estella and general manager — is evident in the interactions he has with customers every night. One patron compared the atmosphere and the community within Heat as a family.

“It’s a place where everybody gets along,” Ebert said. “My favorite part (of the job) is providing an environment where people feel welcomed no matter who or what they are.”

Shawn Ebert gets ready to perform as Estella Sweet in the office at Heat.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/web1_IMG_0567-1.jpg.optimal.jpgShawn Ebert gets ready to perform as Estella Sweet in the office at Heat. Brigid Edmunds | Times Leader

Estella Sweet performs on stage at Heat.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/web1_IMG_0618-1.jpg.optimal.jpgEstella Sweet performs on stage at Heat. Brigid Edmunds | Times Leader

By Brigid Edmunds

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About this series

People in Your Neighbor is an occassional series that takes a look at people from Luzerne County with an interesting story to tell. If you know someone with a story to tell, email Brigid Edmunds at [email protected]

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Reach Brigid Edmunds at 570-991-6113 or on Twitter @brigidedmunds

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