Carlotta

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For the small town in the United States, see Carlotta, California.

For the character in the Phantom of the Opera, see Carlotta (The Phantom of the Opera).

Jeff Kevin as Arnold and Carlotta as Robyn in Number 96.

Carlotta is an Australian transgendered cabaret performer and television celebrity. She began her career as an original member of the long-running Les Girls cabaret show, performed entirely by heavily costumed males, which started in 1963. Carlotta rose through the ranks of the show to eventually become the show's compere and its most famous member. Les Girls and Carlotta soon became must-see attractions for visitors to Sydney and the show was popular with visiting international celebrities.

She was featured in the soap opera Number 96 in 1973 as Robyn Ross, the new girlfriend of Arnold Feather. In the story it was soon revealed that Robyn was in fact a transsexual showgirl, a revelation that led to the character's quick departure from the show. To preserve the shock ending to this storyline the true identity of Robyn's portrayer was kept secret from all but a few central cast and crew members of the series, her scenes were shot on a closed set, and Carlotta was credited as "Carolle Lea".

Carlotta's sex-change operation in the early 1970s was not the first such procedure in Australia, but due to her celebrity status it became the first to receive publicity there. Carlotta was also one of the inspirations for the film Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. She had a few short breaks from Les Girls for international tours, but overall by the time she left the show for the final time in 1992 she had spent a total of 26 years performing with the troupe.

From 2000, Carlotta has been a regular panelist on the discussion program Beauty and the Beast.

In 2005, she featured in her very own half a million dollar stage production, Carlotta's KingsX, presented at the Big Top, Luna Park, Sydney. Produced by Brett Elliott and Richard Bernardo, this 90 minute show delivered classic storytelling, stand up comedy, lavish costumes, and team of 'Les Girls' dance performances throughout. Supported by massive 6x22m video backdrop, video content presented the story of Kings Cross collated from footage supplied by ABC, Channel 7 and Channel 9.

Carlotta is currently touring Australia with her award-winning Carlotta's Priscilla Show and regularly features at all sorts of events and gala premieres.

Carlotta is regularly seen with an entourage of young men.^{[citation needed]}