On May 25, Center on Halsted, in partnership with the Ralla Klepak Foundation for Education in the Performing Arts, presented its spring 2024 drag showcase Dreams of Drag.
The event, which took place in the Center’s Hoover-Leppen Theater, served both as a performance and graduation for the Dare to Drag workshop, which teaches local youth about the world of drag.
For the performance, five new graduates were joined by five local artists and three alumni coaches for an evening of music and dance (both traditional and avant-garde), comedy and wit. Smokey Karmichael was emcee.
Producer Ronny Taylor Jr. greeted a packed and rowdy crowd of parents, teens and young children, all clearly stoked to have a great time. Karmichael laid down the rules for proper drag etiquette, then let the show run itself.
There were segments which embraced traditional drag—Bernadette Burnett got so carried away with her Bette Midler piece that they lost their wig—while other performers pushed boundaries (Char Gar Gothika’s extreme goth, Blank Canvasse’s living breathing art piece and Kartharsis’ combustible rave up mix of dance and emotion).
The more established performers did not stint on the energy either, even with the extra polish they brought to the stage. Anthony Androgyny, Sasha Sota and Kiki Love infused pure athleticism and glamor into the evening, while Bleaux, Karmichael and Bonni Mi brought degrees of attitude. Other performers for the evening included Coco Dreams, Phebe Phoniex and Trisha Can.
For more information on Dare to Drag, contact rtaylorjr@centeronhalsted.org