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Meeting with resistance from everyone from neighbors to the local police, Miller had to fight for acceptance from the day he opened.

Fort Wayne Gay Guide

Within the next few years, the bar traded hands a couple of times until current After Dark owner Leo Vodde took over in While there have been external changes — including several address changes before After Dark landing at its current home on Masterson — at the heart of After Dark is Vodde, who has provided not only an entertainment venue but a safe haven for many of its regulars and performers.

He let me work in every facet of the business, and he has helped me to understand not only the bar business but also how much goes on after the bar closes. While the early years were fraught with some problems, most stemming from a conservative city not ready to accept the presence of the gay community — much less a place where they might gather — in recent years After Dark has found tremendous acceptance from many corners of the city.

But I wrote a letter to some judges and police officers and asked them to come see a drag show. They all went crazy. The response was overwhelming with people lining up around the building to get in. Leo has given a lot of his own money. But not to be lost in its charitable work, After Dark is also a great place to be entertained.

Having performed in drag for many years, Miller misses the high-class elegance of his era, while Della Licious definitely relishes the somewhat saucier performances that take place at the club every weekend. With both local and national performers, the place attracts a diverse audience. And Miller has enjoyed seeing some of the homegrown talent come into their own.

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