Audience members of the SAGA Holiday Professional Drag Show were properly introduced to the start of the holiday season at Legends on Friday night.
Appalachian State University’s own Shelita Bonet Hoyle hosted the night and started off festivities dressed as Paula Deen where she performed to the song “Milkshake” by Kelis.
The show featured more than six different drag queens throughout the night, most of which were from out of town.
“Boone is weird,” drag queen Odette Dynasty O’Hara said.
Many of the performers also held prestigious titles such as “N.C. Entertainer of the Year,” which is currently held by performer Roxanna Hardplace, who performed a tribute to the late Amy Winehouse.
“I think its very important to the LGBTQIA community to have shows like these because it’s a major cultural event and we want to represent our community as best as we can,” Elizabeth Tate, SAGA vice president for public relations, said. “Plus, it’s a really fun time.”
The second portion of the show featured the winners from the SAGA Amateur Drag Show in October. The winners were invited to come and perform on the same stage as the professional drag queens.
Sophomore French studies major Alec Wood won the Amateur Drag Queen title in October and was performing for his second time.
“It was very nerve-wracking for me to get up in front of all those people because they’ve been doing this for years,” Wood said. “All of them have national titles and I’m only performing for the second time. I don’t know if I quite deserve this, but I just really enjoyed it.”
Wood performed to Britney Spears under his stage name, Lucy Teufel.
“I just kind of went out there and had fun and it was tons of fun,” he said.
The show took on a more serious note when O’Hara addressed the audience after her second performance. Speaking specifically to the college students of Appalachian in the audience, O’Hara said that after graduating college she had become homeless and that drag saved her life.
“No matter what happens, you are our future,” O’Hara said. “We look up to you guys and we love you all.”
STORY: CASEY SUGLIA, Intern A&E Reporter