Night of Queens

The room darkens and suddenly, bright pop music begins to play. A single spotlight focuses on the door and out walks the most outrageously dressed woman you’ve ever seen. Wearing a tight sequined dress and long, beautiful eyelashes, you can’t help but feel drawn to her amazing amount of confidence. And then she begins to sing, swinging her hips to the music. This woman is a queen, you realize.

A drag queen.

Drag and Talent is a bi-annual event that showcases not only UT students and their hidden talents, but also introduces drag, the act of dressing up in the opposite gender’s clothing and portraying exaggerated features for entertainment.

Alexandria Hetzler, a second-year organizational leadership major, said drag is an entertainment staple in the LGBT community. She said the show is open to all students, not just members of Spectrum, so there has always been a surprise or two.

“One of my favorite talents has to be last semester when a freshman danced to Lady Gaga,” Hetzler said. “Aside from him being amazing, I had no idea he could dance and he was a little shy so I hadn’t expected him to get onstage.”

Hetzler described the drag and talent show as energetic and fun, with a club-like feel. The show is open-mic and there will be timeslots available for any student to get onstage and show their talent.

Eri Lamb, a first-year English major, said students coming to the show should expect it to be exactly what it sounds like — a good time.

“Last semester at Drag and Talent I didn’t plan on performing, but by the time that we had a few open mic slots I was dying to get on stage and sing something because of how much fun everyone was having up there,” Lamb said. “I played a song on my ukulele, and because everyone knew I sort of had stage-fright, they were all proud of me.”

This year, Spectrum UT’s Drag and Talent will be hosted by local drag queen Jadein Black. Black, who is from Ann Arbor, frequently performs with drag queens who have been featured on RuPaul’s Drag Race, a reality television show specifically about drag.

Black was recruited by Spectrum President Jack Alferio while she was working at Necto Night Club in Ann Arbor.

“Since I frequent the drag race nights at Necto, I have formed somewhat of a

relationship with Jadein’s fiance, a drag king by the name of Thrustin’ Bieber,” Alferio said.

This semester’s Drag and Talent will mark the first time that Spectrum has had a drag queen come in and host the event, despite having queens attend and perform in the past.

“Spectrum always hosts incredible events, being both entertaining and providing learning moments for anyone and everyone,” Lamb said. “I’m proud to be part of a group that provides a safe space for anyone, whether they are a part of the community or not, to put down roots and grow as a person.”

Drag and Talent will be held in Rocky’s Attic in the Student Union on Thursday, April 7 at 8 p.m. For more information, email Alferio at [email protected]