For at least one night a year, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and straight individuals come together to enjoy an evening of entertainment and craziness in a judgment-free zone.

Pride Union hosted the “Totally Fabulous Drag Show featuring Shangela” on Thursday as a part of Syracuse University’s Winter Carnival.

Set up as a sort of “American Idol” for drag kings and queens, the show featured three student acts, two professional acts and a special performance by Raices, the only Latin-based dance troupe on campus. Shangela Laquifa Wadley of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” hosted the event, and drag king Spikey Van Dykey made several appearances.

The judges panel for the evening included Pam Peters, dean of the Office of Judicial Affairs; Jon English, Setnor School of Music professor; and Raja, the 2011 winner of the Totally Fabulous Drag Show. They judged the three student acts based on looks, performance and talent, while audience members showed performers their support through applause and tips.

Shangela started the show to deafening applause with a rendition of Beyoncé’s halftime performance at this year’s Super Bowl. Several crowd members commented that she was “fierce” and “did Queen B proud.”

After her performance, she and several representatives of Pride Union thanked and told the audience this was a show where anything goes.

Tyler Hartwell, a junior child and family services major, was the first to perform after Shangela, and portrayed drag queen Tanya Tatone. One judge said the back-up dancers arguably stole the show.

“Tanya’s dancers just came out and wowed the crowd. The girls were sassy and their hair be fierce as all hell, and the guys were yummy. Their bodies were out of this world. Need I say more?” Raja said.

Up next was special guest performer Spikey Van Dykey, reigning drag king from Orlando, Fla., who engaged the crowd with lap dances.

“I identify as a female when I’m not on the stage,” Van Dykey said. “I got into the show life about 10 years ago when I went through a period in my life when I had no idea what gender I identified with.”

Owen Orgasm, portrayed by State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry sophomore Katie Farr, performed next as the evening’s only student drag king. Complemented by two feisty back-up dancers, Farr danced to “Misery” by Maroon 5 and “Don’t Trust Me” by 3OH!3.

Farr’s performance ended with a surprise twist for the crowd — a gender reversal, emerging from behind a curtain as a woman.

A brief word about practicing safe sex followed Farr’s performance, and free condoms and lubrication were thrown into the crowd.

After intermission, dance troupe Raices performed, proudly showing its support for the LGBT community. Van Dykey then took the stage once more, this time wowing the crowd with a phallic spark rider.

Drag queens XQueena and Umami dominated the final act of the night. They incorporated a mock-LGBT wedding into their dance routine. Droves of audience members flocked to the stage, flashing dollar bills for the dancers. The performance ended with a kiss shared between the two.

XQueena cites Christina “XTina” Aguilera as her inspiration for the event. Umami said her name references the savory, unexpected flavor that complements her personality.

Judges called the performers the showstoppers of the night. XQueena and Umami were awarded the winners of the evening.

After the show ended, Shangela held a brief meet-and-greet for fans who bought her Halleloo! merchandise.

The man behind the drag sensation, D.J. Pierce, has been making waves in entertainment the past three years. Starting on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” she has since been on every major entertainment channel, including shows “Community,” “Glee,” “The Mentalist,” “Toddlers & Tiaras” and “Terriers.”

Said Shangela: “I have only entered the drag scene three years ago, and I have been loving every minute of it. It takes a lot of courage to be who you are, and you have to dig down deep, but when you do, it is incredibly worth it.”

Published on February 25, 2013 at 3:18 am

Contact Madysan: mgfoltz@syr.edu | @madysangabriele