Drag show raises money for Broadway Cares: Equity Fights AIDS
Feather boas, sequins, top hats and heels were some of the many objects seen in the University of Indianapolis’ Drag Show hosted by PRIDE and Alpha Psi Omega. UIndy PRIDE is a gay/straight alliance and often provides information about important issues to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community.
The laughs began at 9 p.m., Friday, April 16, and continued on until midnight. Participants partook in song and dance acts dressed up as the opposite sex.
Senior Andrew Pastorek wore a bleach-blonde wig and sang, “I kissed a girl,” and “Baby one more time,” while playing his acoustic guitar.
“It’s nice to get together with friends and not take yourselves so seriously. If you can’t laugh at yourself, whom can you laugh at?” Pastorek said.
PRIDE raised $810.50 for Broadway Cares: Equity Fights AIDS, out-totaling last year’s donations. Broadway Cares: Equity Fights AIDS is a fundraising and grant-making organization that helps raise money each year to award two grants to AIDS service organizations nationwide. The UIndy Theatre also helped participate in the cause as many theatre majors performed in the Drag Show.
In one act, six performers, including Jack Hoff, Alexandra Uberwhore, Michelle Tree, Ivana Dohit, Half Naked Boy and Deborah P. Nitration performed “Big Spender,” gaining the crowds applause and they also won Best Duo or Group. A flashback to “Napoleon Dynamite” occurred when Sexy Jessica performed in tight jeans and a shirt exposing her muffin top. The indie-esque act won her most original, along with Ado Annie.
Another hilarious performance consisted of two students, juniors Chelsey Wood and Katie Gainey, performing Andy Sandberg and Justin Timberlake’s “Dick in a Box.” Tips were collected in the present box belted around the couple’s waists.
“We fill Ransburg every year, which suggests that the campus has come a very long way from where it was just 12 years ago when PRIDE almost wasn’t allowed to have a table at a campus event,” said Dr. Greta Pennell, executive director of the honors college and PRIDE advisor. “However, the fact that we have to print twice as many posters than we need because some people feel the need to tear them down almost as fast as we can post them, suggests that we still have a way to go to make UIndy a truly safe zone for everyone in the G[ay] L[esbian] B[isexual] T[ransgender] Q[ueer] Q[uestioning] community.”
