About Faces
Published April 11, 2006
A crowd of approximately 350 students and community members filled Jesse Auditorium to watch Dragstravaganza, the annual drag show sponsored by Triangle Coalition, Mizzou After Dark and the Department of Student Activities' Special Events Committee. Dragstravaganza is one of the Triangle Coalition's many events held in commemoration of Pride Month.
Dragstravaganza featured drag acts such as Varla Jean Merman, who is the star of several films and off-Broadway productions; Monica Moreé, from the Las Vegas strip; and Ladiesman, a title-winning drag king from Kansas.
Triangle Coalition President Dustin Hampton served as the emcee for the show as drag queen Miranda L'Amour. Hampton, who also is president of MU's colony of Delta Lambda Phi fraternity, said the show's educational aspect was an important part of this year's performance.
"Even some gay people I've met don't know anything about gay history," he said.
In between acts, L'Amour told the story of Stonewall, a protest that occurred in New York after a police raid on June 27, 1969. Police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar, and arrested patrons for indecent behavior. Immediately after, a violent clash broke out between police and thousands of local gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transsexuals. The event is regarded as the first significant struggle for LGBT rights.
But Hampton said the night's main goal was just to have fun and make people laugh.
L'Amour and Moreé kept the audience's attention by jesting with one another, and a comical music video to Faith Hill's "Breathe," featuring Merman and a chain-smoking lover, added to the laughter-filled atmosphere.
"I think the show went very well," Hampton said. "I know I had a lot of fun on stage, and I think the audience enjoyed it as well."