A night of illusions brought Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson and even Ariel and Ursula of the Little Mermaid, among others, to the University Center’s Houston Room on Thursday. Gloria Estefan also made an appearance, leading her own conga line around the crowd.
UH’s Third Annual Drag Show, produced by the University’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender group, GLOBAL, moved to the main stage this year, complete with lights and a soundsystem. This was quite a move from where they hosted the previous two events — on platforms in the Cougar Den.
“I had personally performed on the platforms, and it just wasn’t professional enough for my taste,” outgoing GLOBAL president Phillicia Karie said. “Plus, trying to walk in heels on a wobbly stage is an invitation for my neck to break.”
The evening included both student and professional drag queens and kings in an event that lasted more than four hours.
Ursula Velour, pre-psychology senior Nathan Estrada’s alter ego, served as the mistress of ceremonies, handling her duties with a touch of humor and quick wit. She said handling the hecklers was her favorite part of the event.
“The banter really was just so fun, and I’m sure the audience loved it,” Estrada said. “I was a theatre major, and I have always been able to entertain a crowd and keep them laughing and coming for more.”
Estrada, a transfer student from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, said he appreciated that an event like this could even take place on a college campus.
“I am so happy to be in a University that allows this type of event and just really brings so much spirit and hope to the lives of young adults in the GLBT community,” he said. “I am very happy to be here at UH and proud that my fiancée, who is male, and I can walk around and not feel like we are being judged or are going to be harmed.”
The show was mainly for entertainment purposes, but the $480 in tips that performers received will be donated to the GLBT youth organization Houston Area Teen Coalition of Homosexuals.
“Basically, HATCH is like a younger GLOBAL,” Stout said. “So, it is charity for a group that is very close to us on a personal level.”
Communication senior Melanie Pang first thought of producing the drag show while serving as GLOBAL president in fall 2007. The continued growth and success of the event has helped it become one of the organization’s “most beloved events,” said Pang, who did not perform but was in attendance as her drag-king persona Paco Bell.
“We get to share a part of ourselves that society has probably never seen, or expected,” Pang said. “A shy, quiet girl can burst out of her shell and be a masculine, bold, rap star or a reserved, professional man can strap on heels and put on a dress and belt out his favorite song for everyone to enjoy in an environment where it’s not only OK, it’s the whole point.”
Engineering senior Jason Atabay’s drag persona, Candy Lane, didn’t perform but served as a backup dancer for a Lady Gaga performance.
“I loved the atmosphere,” Atabay said. “The performers and spectators made it a great night, and the turnout was great.”
The move to the Houston Room turned out to be a good decision. Whereas the limited space of previous shows brought in around 70 people, Stout estimated that around 150 people attended this year’s event.
“The attendance for this year skyrocketed,” Stout said. “My initial reservation was for 100 seats, but (we) had to get more chairs for all the people coming in.”
But the show was bittersweet for Stout because it marked the end of his term as GLOBAL president.
“This is the only way I would have liked to have officially ended my term,” he said.
