A community gathered together of all ages, watching queens perform to songs from different generations, in Clement Auditorium, can only mean one thing. The APSU Drag Show hosted by the Gay-Straight Alliance is back for its spring presentation.
On Friday night, Mar. 16, at 7 p.m., a crowd gathered to watch the show.
Drag queens put on performances to many pop hits, old classics and monologues to entertain a diverse audience.
“I have performed here at APSU three times now,” one of the performers Amber Rose said. “It is really great because kids can come out, and a younger generation can see it. If we were just at a bar, only adults could see us perform, so we get a wider community viewing.”
The drag show had an audience mixed up with children, elders and college students that came to see a show where queens express themselves through characters.
Each person viewing the show had their own reason for being present and the audience could tip the performers if they wished to.
“Our culture is so media based, and since drag is well-known through media, it is one of the ways people really learn about the LGBTQ community,” junior studio art major Matthias Lea said. “You can go into any gay club or straight club and see drag shows. It helps the average person get a new perspective on drag and LGBTQ culture.”
The queens and kings spoke about how the image helps people to see them in a different way.
Anna Freeze, who performed for the tenth year at APSU, talks about being able to become a different person in shows. Freeze changed image recently by adding a beard into it.
“I am a Gemini, so I have different personalities, and I love the stage presence of the glamour, lights and being a new person. I can be whoever I want to be and not worry about the pressure to express myself,” Freeze said. “You can explore different personalities every time. I have many and I like to say ‘Anna’ is one of them.”
There were people tipping the queens and kings while volunteers moved around to gather the tips and tried to not disrupt the show. At times, the performers would also travel through the audience and gather his or her own tips.
“We came here because they slay,” freshman psychics and math major Tionna Robinson said.
The performers put time and effort into each presentation, and the audience plays a huge role in making the show more atmospheric.
“It is definitely a different kind of show to see, but I think it is also exciting to see something so unique on our campus,” first time watcher freshman sociology major Breana Gibson said. “The show brings together a very diverse community that is not always seen in schools.”
The show ended as it normally starts with sparkles, glamour and lots of jokes made to break any silence between the various performances.
