The chatter and babble of the audience quieted as the lights went down and music swelled throughout the auditorium. The host of the show, Joey Black, came out on stage to the strains of Diamonds are Forever wearing a gorgeous, sparkling gown, blonde hair flowing down her back, and a headband with glittering black branches like the gnarled fingers of a tree in a fairy tale. They say first impressions are important, and this opening scene set the track for where the rest of the night was headed. The audience was encouraged to scream, yell, clap, and whistle as much as they could and it made for an incredibly lively performance.
As the Queens worked the stage, it was clear that they were very talented entertainers and the enjoyment of the audience was palpable. Each performance was broken up with the performer addressing the audience and often spreading messages of love and acceptance to the audience. The performances were interactive, personal, and extremely sensual, creating a bond between the audience and the performers that made me want to come back again.
A few special things happened that night, including a couple who had decided to have their wedding reception at this drag show. Additionally, the very first Drag King to grace the stage at Michigan Tech had his first debut that night. Justin Case’s performances were spectacular and meshed flawlessly with the rest of the Queens who were performing that night. He came on stage, accentuated by his two beautiful back up dancers, and rocked the auditorium.
This year’s show was months in the making and all the dedication invested into making it a reality was more than visible. One of the people behind the show was willing to give us a short interview. Joshua Davis is a fifth year accounting student who helped with many of the pieces that went into putting this show together including setting up the contract with the Rozsa and getting together transportation for the performers among other things. When asked what his favorite part of the show was, Davis replied, “I have helped plan the show three times now and have been to the last four. My favorite part is right before the show when all of the people come into the theater. We sold over 550 tickets this year, not including the ones we gave away.” This is an impressive accomplishment as there is so much responsibility that goes with planning such a fantastic and large show.
With so many people coming to see the show and the fact that this was the 17th annual show, I asked “In your opinion, what do you think things like drag shows bring to the LGBTQ+ community?”
Davis replied, “Obviously I think the show gives people a place where they can be themselves, and also brings visibility to the LGBTQ+ community in the U.P. More importantly though is that it functions as a community event bringing all kinds of people together. Events like this help to foster understanding of one another, and I believe a lack of understanding and empathy is at the core of many of the issues we see in today’s society.” The message of love and acceptance no matter who you are, what you look like, or how you identify was so strong throughout the performance that it’s clear to see how a show like this could give people of every walk of life the confidence to be themselves.
I think that it was clear from the cheers of audience all through the night that this year’s show was a massive success, and I can’t wait for next year’s performance.
