The Ohio University LGBT Center co-hosted a free drag show in Baker Center Ballroom Tuesday night with the University Programming Council (UPC) and the Campus Involvement Center (CIC).
The show featured three regional queens: Kazma Knights from Athens, Rylee Ja Gypsy and Plasma Blood from Parkersburg, West Virginia, and former RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant Jujubee.
A stage was set up in the ballroom, with tables set out for a crowd of 200. With additional seats and floor-sitters scattered throughout the entire room, the show saw about 400 people attendees.
Jujubee had a memorable appearance on the second season of RuPaul’s Drag Race and later appeared on the first season of RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars.
Jujubee made a grand entrance, walking on stage lip-syncing “Ain’t Nobody” by Chaka Khan, setting the mood for a fun, lively night.
Lauren Gaines, a graduate student studying art history, thought the show was great. She was excited for the show, and familiar with both Jujubee and RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Gaines is a long-time fan of drag, and thinks the drag show has meaning beyond a fun night.
”I think it means more inclusivity and representation,” she said.
Jujubee acted as the night’s hostess, introducing queens and talking to the audience in between acts.
Rylee Ja Gypsy performed twice, using a fan as a prop. She was a crowd favorite with a lip-sync of My Chemical Romance’s “Welcome to the Black Parade,” where she stepped off-stage and interacted with audience members around the ballroom. Audience members used their phones as lighters and swayed their hands in the air.
Plasma Blood put on two electric performances. She came out, revealing a racy outfit underneath her skirt and a fluorescent whip as a prop. Performing a lip-sync of “Bad Romance,” she channeled Lady Gaga in a blonde-green wig and a monster-faced bodysuit.
Kazma Knights was also a crowd favorite. She performed Kesha’s “Tik Tok” and Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts.” She went off-stage and interacted with the crowds, singing with them to the pop hits.
Abbie Hunter, a senior studying event planning, loved Kazma’s performances.
“I don’t know a lot about drag, but it was amazing,” Hunter said. “The Kesha was my favorite part.”
Jujubee closed out the show with a crowd walk-through and a birthday wish to a fan.
Jujubee was happy to be on a college campus. She talked about enjoying her college years, and referred to them as the best years of her life.
She told the audience to take advantage of their college years, to study hard and that these years shape the person one becomes.
“You can choose who you want to be,” she said.
Ashlin Smart, a senior studying English, loved the drag show.
“My favorite part was the My Chemical Romance,” she said. “It went hard and I loved it.”
