The LGBTQ+ Inititiative’s new but beloved tradition returned to the Hall of Presidents this Oct. 25. Drag queens Amanduh Brown, Edie James, Sherri Love and Misty Phoenix took the stage, with special appearances from Colgate students.
This year’s show came with a special announcement: for the first time, the queens will be returning for the spring semester. This February, they will put on a new, more interactive show as a part of a larger, multi-school LGBTQ+ project.
Friday’s performance opened with a “Hocus Pocus” themed piece, with Amanduh Brown, Sherri Love and Misty Phoenix playing the three Sanderson sisters, complete with outlandish wigs and brooms in suspicious places. The Halloween-inspired outfits set the bar high for the rest of the night.
But the queens did more than dance. After each performance, they would take a moment to talk with the audience, often cracking jokes about their old age (the oldest queen is 58!) or making digs at the other queens — or, occasionally, the audience themselves. They also raffled off various goodies to the eager crowd, creating time for quick changes; the four queens gave three or more performances each.
Sophomore Grace Zhang was impressed by the queens’ abilities to put on such an amazing show.
“What really inspired me was the age of some of these performers — how they’ve been in the industry for so long, and how passionate they are in their art. They can continue performing like this even well into their late 50s,” Zhang said.
Other highlights include Edie James’ fairytale performance of Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!” in which she wielded a sword and triumphantly belted the lyrics into her makeshift microphone.
Amanduh Brown’s banana-themed act was also memorable, as she tossed banana props into the audience while decked out in an elaborate blonde banana headpiece.
First-year Yaroslav Spytskyi made his drag queen debut as “Yaroslay” and donned a black corset top, skirt and blonde wig.
The penultimate performance had an interactive element — audience members were invited to strut the runway and compete for applause. Students stood up to the challenge and showed off their surprising skills, from full splits to death drops. The winner and runner-up were both invited to perform in February.
Amanduh Brown closed the show with a serious piece in praise of hope. Whitney Houston’s “Higher Love” played over clips from various news segments ranging from the Columbine Shooting to the extension of the legalization of gay marriage. Amanduh Brown urged students to vote.
Sophomore Martyn Dahl noted the importance of LGBTQ+ events on campus.
“The drag show is so empowering for the student body. The performers show how to be unapologetically yourself and I think that’s so great. It’s such a fun space to dance, sing along and be with friends,” Dahl said. “And the outfits… amazing. Show-stopping.”
The events are crucial in creating a welcoming community on campus and sharing LGBTQ+ culture. For some students, including Zhang, Colgate provides opportunities to engage with new cultures for the first time.
“It was the first drag show I’ve ever been to, and I was not disappointed,” Zhang said. “ I just loved the music. It really brought good vibes and made the atmosphere super fun and chaotic. I also loved the outfits they had. It was so amazing to see the time and effort everyone put into making themselves look so good.”
The event was also Sophomore Esraa Al Masalmeh’s first time attending a drag show.
“I really loved the show, it was my first time going to a drag show,” Al Masalmeh said. “I liked the atmosphere with all the cheering and clapping; I was amazed by the creativity that was put into the show, from the makeup to the choreography.”
