What do water and gender expression have most in common? Fluidity.
Exploring drag performance with an “Under the Sea” theme, drag kings and queens dressed as mermaids and pirates alike in the Campion ballroom last Friday. Put on annually by the Triangle Club and hosted by drag queen Abbey Roads, attendees for this year’s Drag Show nearly filled the room.
Notable drag performances included RC Justin, Seattle University Men’s Rugby Team, Paul and Eucalypstick and Magical Michael who also accompanied Lamborghini in their performance. Professional drag queens and kings Abby Roads, Samuel L. Jack-u-son, Isabella Richards and Mercy Devine entertained the audience with their elaborate costumes and performances.
Song performances ranged from Big & Rich’s “Save a Horse [Ride a Cowboy]” to Justin Timberlake’s 2006 “SexyBack” and even featured a song from Disney’s “Moana” called “Shiny.”
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First-year Hunter Adams was one of the Seattle U students who took the stage.
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Performer, RC Josta, at the 2018 Seattle U Drag Show.
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Paul and Eucalypstick bring their electric energy and dancing onto the stage of the 2018 Seattle U Drag Show.
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Ash Vera, a junior majoring in criminal justice and forensic psychology, used drag as a form of self-expression on the stage this year. When Vera performed, they talked about how their journey of self-love and self-discovery has led them to be proud of who they are. Vera renamed the year 2018 “20-Gay-teen,” as they celebrated their queer self, performing as both a drag king and queen to Bea Miller’s “S.L.U.T (Sweet Little Unforgettable Thing).”
“I identify as genderqueer, and for the past two years being in a drag show, it was kind of like, I felt that I had to be male-presenting. I did add some female aspects into that, but I thought I had to stay in the male persona for it to be drag,” Vera said. “This year, in talking with some friends of mine, they encouraged me to just be who I am and that kind of fluidity that I have—it wasn’t a bad thing. I do feel masc sometimes, and I do feel femme sometimes, so I wanted to present both which is why I switched it up.”
Ann Marie Zocchi, a history major and junior, reprised their role as Director of the Drag Show for their second year in a row.
“This drag show is very special to me. The one last year was amazing and beautiful, but I didn’t know what I was doing. This year, I had a slightly more idea of what I was doing. What made this drag show more special to me was who I wanted to include in the show,” Zocchi said.
Zocchi emphasized the ways she considered the changing definition of drag and inclusivity when thinking about how to direct this year’s drag show.
“There is a problem with the drag community of not being inclusive of all people, whether being a race, shape, gender, sexuality—people really put this narrow definition [on performers],” Zocchi said. “I tried to break that open and expand that and include people that are beautiful and amazing performers. We did a lot more of that in this drag show.”
Seattle U hosts its own version of a drag race inspired by the popular show RuPaul’s Drag Race. Audience participants get the chance to strut their stuff with costumes designed by Seattle U student Ivy Jong.
The drag race is pitted against a chosen drag queen, king, and pair. The winner is chosen by the loudness of the crowd’s clapping and cheers. This year, the drag race included Tiffany, King Hoseidon and the pair Captain Lick Sparrow and first mate Dick Turner. Captain Lick Sparrow and Dick Turner emerged as victorious with their performance to Young Money’s “Bed Rock.”
Jong, an English and Creative Writing junior, has designed the costumes for the Drag Race since her first year at Seattle U.
“I feel like drag is all about expressing yourself even when other people don’t really understand that or really accept it. I don’t really care, this is who I am,” Jong said. “I used to watch a lot of fashion shows and drag shows as a kid on tv. I was always a weird kid and I would dress really weird and even though people thought I was a weird kid because of it, I felt really empowered, that’s why I wanted to make costumes for the Drag Show.”
The Drag Show is gone until next year, but it seems the message of self-love and self-expression is in the spirits of all who attended. Anyone inspired to help plan or perform in next year’s Drag Show can contact the Triangle Club.
Rania may be reached at
[email protected]
