October 17, 2024
On Oct. 18, DSU will be hosting Winthrop’s highly anticipated annual drag show, DragWU. The show will take place in Richardson Ballroom at 8PM and the tickets will cost $10. This year’s theme is “elements”.
Three drag performers who will be featured at DragWU this year have offered insight into their experiences and perspectives.
Jersey O’mari Lavish, a professional drag artist, currently holds the titles Mr. Upstate Pride and Mr. Outfest in South Carolina, as well as Mr. New Beginnings in Tennessee. Additionally, Lavish has frequently performed in areas such as Washington D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland.
Lavish spoke highly of multiple venues he’s attended, including his experience performing at DragWU in 2023.
Lavish said, “I will definitely say when I came and did Winthrop last year, when Gottmik was there, that was amazing to me. I said ‘it’s always about the energy that I see from the audience.’ You could definitely tell the people who were there were just excited for what each of us entertainers brought.”
Lavish has undoubtedly found support throughout his career as a drag artist,
He said, “You will definitely find that there are more allies than people against you and I love that because it is very important to have support, especially in this day and age. Especially with heterosexual parents who have gay kids or transgender kids or whatever the case may be, I’m noticing that there’s more support rallied around that and that’s so important, because a lot of kids out here feel like they don’t have people they could talk to.”
Relatedly, Lavish has a great deal of wisdom to give to aspiring drag performers and individuals who are scared to live authentically.
Lavish said, “A quote that I live by: ‘I used to care what you thought about me, until I remembered what I thought about you.’ Just remember that you only got one life, so if you spend that one life that you have worrying about what another person is thinking about you, you’ll never live life to the fullest.”
Two Winthrop students who will be performing at DragWU this year additionally took the time to speak about their lives as drag queens.
Azreil Starr, a senior theater performance major, has performed at multiple venues, such as the Carolina Creepshow, Protagonist, and multiple Pride shows. Additionally, she has been performing at DragWU since her freshman year.
She said, “DragWU has helped me grow so much since my first time performing. I want to give my goodbye and also just share a little love for DragWU. So I am very excited to perform for this final time and to see everyone there.”
Starr has had an interest in drag long before going to college.
Starr said, “I was in like eighth grade wearing wigs but I did not do drag until I was in like tenth grade. I really started honing in on my drag when covid happened because everything was shut down so I was like “oh I got time now!”.”
She continued, “So I was doing makeup already, but once I was able to be alone, and doing whatever I wanted to do, that was when I really started to get into drag and I’ve been doing it ever since. I’ve been doing it for like five, almost six, years now.”
Throughout Starr’s time as a drag queen she has noticed a lack of racial diversity in certain areas.
Starr stated, “There have been times where I’ve performed, and it doesn’t happen as often as it may have happened in the past for other queens, but it has happened to me, where a venue or place will ask me not to have certain songs that are too provocative or say too many cuss words. Usually they just don’t want anything that, to me,seems too black. So to me that’s a little shaky.”
She continued, saying, “I’ve also been cast as “the” black queen in the show; a lot of the times show runners will have a full cast of other people, and then they will have one black king and one black queen just to have that “diverse aspect”. So I have been through that a couple of times, especially when I first started drag in Greenville.”
Starr has made a great effort to “lead with love” in her life, as both an individual and a performer.
Regarding this value of hers, she said, “I try to make sure that everyone is having a good time, everyone is comfortable, and everyone feels safe – not only in my environment, like with the people around me, but also when I go to perform. I want everyone to feel good; I don’t want anyone to be upset or anything like that. I feel like I get way farther with leading with love.”
Leonasia Chanel, a sophomore theater major with a concentration in acting, has been a drag queen for a little over a year now. Chanel has previously performed at Charlotte Pride and Resident Culture at their annual Culture Shock Pride Brunch.
Even though Chanel is relatively new to the drag scene, she has been interested in the art form since she was young.
She said, “I first learned about drag in fifth grade, I started watching RuPaul’s drag race, and I’ve been watching it ever since then. But I didn’t start doing drag until I took a gap year after high school.’
Chanel particularly loves the creative aspects of drag.
She said, “My favorite parts of drag are the freedom of expression and playing with gender roles. I think it’s kind of fun to be a man during the day but then transform into a beautiful woman at night. I think it’s fun. I also feel like the energy that drag brings is just a different type of energy than any other kind of live theater.”
Chanel is a transfer student, so this will be her first time performing at DragWU.
Chanel said, “ I’m most excited about seeing the campus come together for something like this obviously walking around you just see people going to class but I feel like these cultural events are a really good opportunity to bring everyone together. So that way everyone can see different walks of life and different cultures. I’m just really excited for people to be excited about it.
Gabe Halka, the chair of DSU’s Daytime/Late Night committee, said, “I love seeing the drag performers who go crazy on the dance floor, it’s kind of mind boggling to me to watch them. Have you ever heard of a death drop?- that’s insane. So that’s very fun for me.”
Halka shared, “I honestly wasn’t super interested in drag until I saw DragWU last year. It was something I never thought I’d be interested in, but it was very eye opening. It was just such an awesome culture. I tend to be very curious, I asked so many questions and it was so interesting to learn about it.”
Students are highly encouraged to attend Drag WU for a night of excitement and celebration.
