The Hall of Presidents (HOP) transformed into a dazzling showroom for the 5th annual drag show on Saturday, Oct. 25. With stellar performances, Colgate University’s LGBTQ+ community and allies came together to celebrate creativity and love. Their performances and presence enlivened Hamilton with color and excitement.
The drag show has become an annually anticipated pinnacle of pride for Colgate’s queer community. An annual celebration of Colgate’s longstanding LGBTQ+ presence, advocacy and partnership, the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Anti-Racism and Accessibility and LGBTQ+ Initiatives hosts this event to enrich Colgate’s commitment to allyship and highlighting the queer community.
Dr. Lyosha Gorshkov, director of LGBTQ+ Initiatives, spoke about the purpose of the event.
“The event is focused on bringing everyone together with no agenda — just fun and joy, and pure art that can unite people,” Gorshkov said.
The sentiment was clear throughout the night as laughter, cheers and applause filled the HOP. Senior Oscar Brown emphasized the importance of unified joy in his experience at Colgate.
“The annual drag show is always a marvelous experience for students at Colgate,” Brown said. “We’ve built such a strong relationship with the queens who perform that we’re really able to have such an impactful, interactive and engaged performance.”
This year’s lineup of visiting drag queens — Aman-Duh Brown, Lana Del They, Edie James, Misty Phoenix and Sherri Love — brought unmatched talent and charisma to the stage.
Junior David Pagan commended and appreciated the artistry and genuine love of the drag queens for their craft.
“The drag queens get very creative in coordinating their outfits and songs and coming up with clever ways to incorporate props,” Pagan said. “I was pleasantly surprised when the performer Edie James brought out a leaf blower midway through the performance. I have to admit, it takes a special set of skills to perform wearing 20 pounds of latex.”
The contagious energy created phenomenal and inspiring performances that celebrated individuality and simply being in an electric space.
“From time to time we need to feel silly to let ourselves relax, and the drag queens are the best catalyst of reaching nirvana in my opinion,” Gorshkov said.
Beyond the flair and glitz of the performance itself, the drag show fosters an inclusive and uplifting environment where queer students and faculty can unite, express themselves and celebrate their identities with pride.
“I was really delighted this year by the huge number of first-year students who attended the show — they brought so much energy and joy that is so incredibly needed right now,” Brown said.
The queens’ impact did not stop after their lively routines. Audience engagement brought the show and community connection to a new level.
“One of my favorite traditions that happens each year is the part of the show where the drag queens encourage students to take the stage and show off their own dance, strut or drag personality,” Brown said. “It allows them to feel welcomed and accepted for who they are, and doing this while being cheered on — loudly — by their peers as they take the stage is exactly that moment. At Colgate, the opportunity to unabashedly share in queer joy on campus can be one of the best things a student can experience.”
As Colgate continues to uplift diverse voices and celebrate queer artistry, events like the drag show remind the community that pride shines bright.
