2020 Gumbo Final - Book - Page 56
Dazzling
Divas
Story: Ana Block
Photo: Ana Block
Design: Kacey Buercklin
C
54
LSU organizations host fourth annual drag
show, with student appreciation, record
attendance numbers
ollaboratively hosted by the Office of
Multicultural Affairs, Residential Life, Louisiana
Transgender Advocates and the LGBTQ+
Project at LSU, the fourth annual “Divas’ Live 4:
A Drag Show” drew large crowds on Thursday
night.
In previous years, the largest number recorded
for attendance at the event was around 112
people. On Thursday, the attendance greatly
surpassed its previous record, with over 400
students present. All seats were filled, leaving
the Student Union Ballroom with standing
room only.
The show was hosted by drag queen Brianna
Powers, who began the event with a bang.
Powers entered the runway in a sparking
gold skirt and statement necklace dancing to
Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep,” which got the
audience up off their feet and ready to begin
the night.
Powers continued to joke with numerous
attendees throughout the show and
emphasized this event is meant to be fun and
inclusive.
“Drag is not a spectator sport. So please get
up off your rears, dance it out with the ladies
and show them a good time,” Powers said.
Following Powers’ introduction were
performers Millie Meringue, Santana Pilar
Andrews, Andy Black and Lady D. Andrews,
all dressed as popular movie and TV show
characters with costumes bedazzled from
head to toe. With performances that went from
splits to cartwheels and flying wigs, audience
members struggled to choose a favorite.
The night closed with a performance by Lady
D. Andrews dressed as Marge Simpson from
the popular show, “The Simpsons,” dancing
to Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with
Somebody,” during which she brought various
members of the audience onto the runway.
One of the audience members on stage,
undecided arts and humanities sophomore
Mary Elizabeth Gordon, said the experience
was a blast.
“I had an amazing time,” Gordon said. “I
already respect, admire and love drag queens,
and seeing that freedom is so exhilarating that
you just want to get up and join them, so that’s
what I did.”
While some might think an event of this kind is
exclusively for the LGBTQ+ community, there
were many non LGBTQ+ audience members
who attended to show their support and get
behind the fun, like political science student
Abdel Thabat.
“They have a lot of homophobic people out
there, and me being a straight man, I came to
support,” Thabata said. “I didn’t know what to
expect but it was cool.”
Khristian Royster, Residential Life coordinator
and member of the drag show planning
committee, said hosting this kind of event was
good for everyone.
“I think it’s really important to create an
opportunity and a space where people can
see and be a part of the culture by getting to
experience the rich history of drag shows and
to represent our great student groups who
identify with this community,” Royster said.