Drag performers are set to put on a magical spectacle at the annual Kansas Drag Showcase on April 27 at the Lied Center. Ten talents will take the stage, following the event’s theme of “Once Upon a Drag.”
The showcase is put on by Student Union Activities (SUA) alongside the Center of Sexuality and Gender Diversity (SGD) and is set to be an elegant extravaganza.
The event will be hosted by performers KYKY Mo-Dean and Jello Tin Shot and will feature professional performances by Southxrn Hxll, Imani K.O. Kotoure, KiYanna Uchawi and Kansas Campbell. A meet-and-greet with the performers will begin at 4:30 p.m. at the Lied Center before the show begins at 6 p.m.
Ten drag artists are set to slay the stage at the Kansas Drag Showcase on April 27 at the Lied Center.
“I think it’s a really unique experience for anybody to attend, especially if you’ve never been to a drag show,” said Mikayla Leader, the Kansas Memorial Union program coordinator and an SUA advisor.
This year’s theme, “Once Upon a Drag,” came from a collaborative effort from the SUA and SGD planning team and student survey feedback. However, the idea was sparked by a student last year who wanted the theme to be inspired by one of their favorite films.
“One of our students really loved the idea of ‘Shrek,’” Leader said. “And so, we tried to find a theme that fit ‘Shrek’ but wasn't just ‘Shrek.’ We ended up with fairytale, but that also comes from student input. During the fall semester, we put out some surveys around both [SUA and SGD] offices and at events to ask students what drag theme they would like.”
Hosts Marie Queerie and Lana Luxx interact with the audience before the the 2023 Kansas Drag Showcase.
The event began as a drive-in drag show in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and has since evolved into a larger celebration for the community. The Lied Center now hosts the annual showcase and provides an opportunity for 10 professional drag performers and student amateurs to collaborate and show off their skills. This year’s student performers are Madame Hadher, Viagris, Kaya Phosis and Miss Cellaneous.
“It's been a recurring spring event for us [and it] has been really fun to bring drag talent from across the state of Kansas,” Leader said. “I think it is a really unique experience. It’s a lot more high-end production I would say and it’s such a cool experience to see the whole production.”
Tickets are free for University of Kansas students with a student ID and otherwise cost $10 for general admission. Those interested can purchase tickets at the Lied Center’s ticket office, by phone or online. Free student tickets must be picked up at the Lied Center ticket office before the event begins.
