Ladies, gentlemen and everything in between

By Laura Swan

Published April 8, 2008

Student and professional drag kings and queens ruled Jesse Auditorium on Saturday night, showing off splits and kicks to an enthusiastic audience. Emcee Miss Kitty Litter welcomed everyone to the fifth annual MU drag show, sponsored by the Missouri Students Association and the Triangle Coalition.

“Welcome ladies, gentlemen, men who want to be women, women who want to be men,” she said.

An audience member finished her thought: “And everything in between!”

Emcee Litter was the first to perform, with a rendition of “Nicety” by Michel’le. While the song claimed she was “nice and nasty,” Litter showed off booty-shaking skills that outdid those of most women.

“I like to be in a class all by myself, but classy at the same time,” she said.

Performer Amanda Lay then lip-synched to Gretchen Wilson’s “Redneck Woman” in tight jeans and a flannel vest. Suddenly, she ripped off her vest to reveal a tight black lace shirt over a black bra as the music switched to Wilson’s “Here for the Party.”

“She said she was ‘here for the party,’ but she took everything off!” Litter said after the performance. “What party is she going to? Because I want to go.”

Performer Ashe Thrash, in his second drag appearance, performed a routine to Chris Brown’s “Wall to Wall” with a friend. As fog poured onto the stage, the guys grinded on chairs in black shirts, jeans and sunglasses.

“It was an honor to work with the pros,” Thrash said.

Miss Drag Mizzou Britney Queers was up next with Britney Spears’ “Break the Ice.” The audience cheered when she began crawling on the ground in her black and red satin robe. Queers earned her title last month at the Mr. and Miss Drag Mizzou pageant, where Dick Givens was named Mr. Drag Mizzou.

Next, it was time for the professionals. Fog covered the stage and thunder rumbled as Dymond Dynasty suddenly appeared standing behind the curtain of gold streamers. The middle section rose slowly and she stepped through to a remix of Rihanna’s “Umbrella.”

Dynasty looked tough in her black dress, black leather boots and black lipstick as she transitioned into Rihanna’s “Breakin’ Dishes.” She pop-locked and spun her way across the stage, then stunned the crowd when she dropped down into a front split.

Litter then introduced Miss Alexis Principle, 2008 Missouri Entertainer of the Year, as an illusionist. “You’ll see what I mean,” she said to the audience.

There was a collective gasp and hushed whispers as Principle emerged from behind the curtain in a black corset lined with diamonds, a white blouse, pinstripe pants and enough bling to make most rappers jealous. But Principle’s dark blonde angled bob was probably the most important part of her Mary J. Blige impersonation. Principle lip-synched and danced to Blige’s hit “Just Fine.”

East St. Louis’ Supermodel of the World Miss Honey Graham appeared in a black spandex body suit, a full-length zebra-print robe and gravity-defying hair while lip-syncing Salt ‘n’ Pepa’s “I am the Body Beautiful.”

“She had all of our wigs on,” Litter said.

Principle later shocked the audience when she performed Brooke Valentine’s “Taste of Dis.” The performance started with a shimmy and ended with her peeling off her skirt to mixed cheers and laughter.

Next, it was time for some drag kings: Princeton and Damian Makavelli and Dusty Case looked sharp in suits and top hats as they lip-synched and danced to The Temptations’ “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg.” The three are part of a troupe called Jentlemen of Distinction, which also features five other impersonators. Together, they hold the titles of Kings of the Mid-West 2007-2008.

Next, four girls joined Graham — her “babettes” — who performed sign language while she lip-synched Patricia Jacobs’ “I Told the Storm.”

Between acts, Litter also gave away hats and purses for correct answers to trivia questions, though she eventually just started throwing them into the audience.

Dynasty earned a standing ovation from the audience when she performed “I Am Changing,” sung originally by Jennifer Holliday in Dreamgirls. She surprised the audience when she kicked off her shoes, tore off her wig and earrings, and rolled across the stage. When the audience stood to applaud, she was still lying on the stage, exhausted.

Princeton Makavelli led the kings in their rendition of “Low” by Flo Rida and T-Pain. They won the crowd over with a light-up turntable and their romantic antics with tippers. Case kissed hands as tips were given while Princeton kissed one lucky girl’s cheek and let another smack his behind. Princeton has been doing drag for three years and has already acquired three titles.

Case wooed the ladies with his charm and guitar when he performed Robin Thicke’s “Lost Without U.” He started doing drag two years ago, when “I was dead-ass broke and I needed cigarettes,” he said.

Litter provided quite the finale when she cartwheeled her way across the stage, then got a running start into a front split, and finally switched over into a middle split. “It ain’t over till the fat lady sings,” she said.