Washington University will give students the chance to watch professional drag queens perform and participate in gender-bending fun at the University’s first annual Drag Show this Friday at the Gargoyle.

“Students can expect a fun, loose atmosphere and to enjoy something they may not have attended before,” said junior Lori Weingarten, the co-president of Pride Alliance who spearheaded the drag show.

Weingarten came up with the idea for the show a year ago after attending Webster University’s 10th annual Drag Show with other students. He joined a drag show committee which was formed last semester, and Weingarten’s vision will finally come to fruition tonight. Although this is the first year that a drag show has been officially sponsored by a student group, the first drag show on campus dated back to 1998.

A drag queen or king is “one who performs masculinity (king) or one who performs femininity (queen) in a theatrical setting,” according to the University’s Safe Zone’s Ally Workshop Guide. Weingarten said that a drag performer is not necessarily male or female, and that drag performers have a wide range of experiences.

The show will feature several professional drag performers from St. Louis, including a University graduate student. There will be a raffle and an amateur drag competition during intermission, which is open to anyone. Students are encouraged to dress in drag and prizes will be awarded to the best-dressed attendee.

“I am excited for students to come and hopefully to dress in drag because I don’t think there are many opportunities for Wash. U. students to do so. This a professional show, but we’re hoping that people will want to have a student drag show in the future,” said Weingarten.

The Alternative Lifestyle Association (ALA) has teamed up with the Pride Alliance to help coordinate the show. According to the ALA’s president, senior Dallas Bryson, the organization has had little outreach in the past, but the drag show will allow the group to make itself better known.

“One of the alternative lifestyles is cross dressing, so it is certainly something that falls both under our domain and the Pride Alliance’s domain,” said Bryson. “I am really excited that the ALA is a part of the first drag show at Wash U. I know we have some great entertainment coming.”

Half of all proceeds from the charity event will go to the St. Louis LGTB (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender) Community Center. The Interim Executive Director of the center, Muriel Lynn Jones, who goes by “Blue,” said that even though St. Louis has over sixty LGTB organizations, more than most cities, it does not have a LGTB community center.

Over the last two years, the St. Louis LGTB center has launched a Web site and a newsletter, but it still does not have a location. The organization has been working on both fundraising and finding a facility.

“The LGTB is excited, happy and appreciative that the students at the school are doing their part to contribute,” said Jones.

Many University students are looking forward to the drag show with anticipation. “I’m really excited to go to such a significant event for the gay community,” said junior Natalie Jarecki.

Not everyone shared the same enthusiasm for the event, however.

“I do want to see a drag show, but I’ll leave if it creeps me out,” said junior Markus Zei.

Even though the drag show is an important cultural event for the University community, Jones feels it is not something that should be taken too seriously.

“I am a big fan of drag. It’s a long-standing queer tradition. It’s fabulous to see students on the university level participating on a fun level,” said Jones.

“It is important for LGTB youth to have fun. There is so much on the high school and collegiate level that deals with the serious aspects of queer culture, which are of course important, but it is a full, multi-spectrum culture. There are fun things, and drag is a fun thing.”

“I think it’s a really great chance for Wash. U students to come have a really good time and maybe even push their comfort level a little bit. I think they will be surprised by what a great time they’ll have,” said Bryson.

Admission costs $2 for those with a student I.D. and $3 for the public. Doors will open at 8 p.m.

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