A variety of aesthetics, voices and emotions took the stage at the University of Indianapolis on March 27.
UIndy has held an annual drag show since 2005, according to UIndy Pride. This year’s show was dedicated to former UIndy PRIDE Club member Stevie Cox, according to the secretary of the UIndy PRIDE board, Trinity Bell. After attending UIndy, Cox worked as an advisor and professor at the university from 2020 until 2022. According to UIndy Pride, Cox was a huge part of the UIndy Pride club and an inspiration to the queer community on campus, making a real impact on everyday lives. Due to their passing this summer, the PRIDE club wanted to have something meaningful to remember them. This show felt like a celebration of both their life and impact.
The drag show had nine performances from Carmilla Vestonia, Transfemme Vittorino, Nyx Eclipse, Nathan but a Snack, Viper King, Jeanette “Jenny” DeValium, Solstice, Karma and one alumni performer, Vintage Lips. The show’s two anonymous hosts, Jane and Trin, welcomed every drag queen and king onto the stage with quirky intros and outros that matched each performance. Their commentary helped keep the energy up between acts and made the show feel engaging for the audience.
Each performer had their own aesthetic and stage presence, which made the show feel diverse and exciting from beginning to end. My personal favorite was Jeanette DeValium dancing to Breaking Dishes by Rihanna and Circus by Britney Spears. They were a captivating performer with lots of sass and confidence, and it was clear the audience loved every second. I also loved the spunky wig Transfemme Vittorino wore, which was a blonde wig with pigtails that stuck out and bounced with every movement. Vittorino had a very energetic and playful stage presence that was difficult not to love. Viper King had a strong K-pop aesthetic, with intense and sharp dancing to songs by BTS that really stood out.
A crowd favorite that was not on the competitive ballot was Vintage Lips, performing Big Spender and Mommy Issues. As a UIndy alumni who had previously known Stevie Cox, you could tell the performance was emotional, not just for them but for the audience members as well. It added a deeper layer to the show’s purpose.
To conclude the show there was a surprise song at the end where all the drag queens and kings came out to dance improv too. “Proud Mary” by Tina Turner was a favorite song of Cox’s, so the performance of that song was a nice way to highlight their life and lively spirit once again.
The overall standings had Viper King in third, Jeanette in second place and Solstice in first. The competition was fun, but what stood out most was how supportive everyone was of each other. The crowd cheered loudly for every performer, and the sense of community in the room was really strong. Overall, the night felt like more than just a performance, but a celebration of talent, identity and remembrance.
