Students cross-dress and perform at QSU drag show
Channeling the spirit of JC Chasez, child-sized college students popped and locked along the stage to N*Sync songs. With Sharpie beards and baggy pants, the four cross-dressed women of Queer-Sync took first place at the Queer Student Union’s (QSU) Second Annual Drag Show, topping off a sporadic night of festivities.
Aptly titled “After Hours at the Moulin Rouge,” the burlesque drag show featured performances from local gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersexual and queer (GLBTIQ) organizations Silver Dollar Court, Divas on the Run, Latino Pride and Divas Latinas. These four organizations teamed up with the QSU to raise money for the newly founded QSU Scholarship Fund and the 2009 Gay Prom. QSU is a club at the University of Nevada, Reno supporting the GLBTIQ community through social interaction, political activism and community service, among other promotions.
Gawkers and dancers packed the Joe Crowley Student Union Theater Friday night. QSU President Jeromy Manke said the event was a much bigger success than last year’s Drag Show, which only featured an amateur competition.
Playing the role of scandalous host, Talula Pratt, winner of last year’s amateur competition, kept the crowd laughing with provocative innuendos and suggestive numbers to tunes like “I Kissed a Girl,” “Sparkling Diamonds” and “Le Disko.”
Hit performers of the night included Emperor Daniel Barrows and Empress Anna Duvet of the Silver Dollar Court, a 33-year-old organization dedicated to the positive promotion of the GLBTIQ community. Barrows and Duvet performed to a love medley. Then each performer went solo as Barrows lip-synched the spunky track “My Christmas Wish” while Duvet promoted her own version of Gloria Estefan’s “Words Get in the Way.” With a twist of Tourette’s, Duvet pretended to belt lyrics like “We might fall in love again, vulva!” and “There’s so much I want to say, scrotum.”
Representing Divas on the Run was ex-empress and drag show vet Jack-E. As the most dramatic, experienced drag queen of the night, Jack-E encouraged nearly 50 people alone to visit the stage and donate during her performance. Also representing Divas, Chastity, a real-life recreation of Jessica Rabbit, challenged Jack-E in terms of inspired donations. Nearly 40 audience members placed dollars in Chastity’s cleavage during her performance.
Latino Pride and Divas Latinas collaborated for back-to-back performances with a south-of-the-border feel. Herbert, of Latino Pride, and Victoria, of Divas Latinas, dramatically interpreted two duets in Spanish, leading into a physical altercation.
The amateur competition continued the rest of the show after a short intermission. Student performers danced, acted and sang to songs like “Hot and Cold” by Katy Perry and “Tainted Love” by Marilyn Manson with raunchy outfits ranging from leather and chains to old west burlesque. In the end, it was Queer-Sync that stole the show.
Athiwan Yaemmuan, a junior art major and member of Queer-Sync, was adamant about their victory.
“Originally, I was really nervous,” Yaemmuan said. “But once we got out there, it was really exciting.”
As a member of the QSU and photographer for Divas on the Run, Yaemmuan said she was proud of this year’s drag show.
“We had a lot more people come support us this year,” Yaemmuan said. “This year’s drag show was definitely a success.”
Julian Rhodes can be reached at julianrhodes@nevadasagebrush.com.
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