Shaking, shimmying and making it rain, performers this weekend were showered in singles, all for charity.
Spectrum hosted its semi-annual drag show Saturday at Ball Gymnasium. Admission was free, but donations were accepted throughout the night with proceeds going towards Muncie OUTreach, a center for LGBT youth in Muncie.
Muncie OUTreach will use the donations to further programming and services going towards the LGBT community in Muncie as well as promoting the organization that runs on donations.
“Spectrum has been very supportive to our group,” Laura Janney, the director of OUTreach said. “This is the second year they have donated the proceeds of their drag show to us. They are very good at letting people know we are here.”
The drag show’s theme “Funhouse” was represented with Halloween decorations and a circus feel. The stage was covered in cobwebs and the entry draped with blood-stained curtains. Jaime Whitaker, president of Spectrum, welcomed the crowd by saying, “This is our house and we are going to have fun.”
Doors to the show opened at 7:30 p.m. Junior music production major Nickole Regala waited in line to get in.
“I’m just excited that my hometown is actually having a drag show,” she said. “Growing up here, I’ve been able to see the cultural changes Muncie has gone through and it makes me happy that people are starting to become more accepting of the LGBT community.”
Only four of the 12 performers were returning kings and queens.
“In the fall you have an entirely new cast of performers because all of the incoming freshmen decide to get involved,” Whitaker said.
There were a variety of performances including singing, dancing, lip-synching and gymnastics. Crowd involvement was a large part of the kings’ and queens’ performances and helped the organization get closer to its goal of one thousand dollars. Spectrum raised a total of $849.
“The best part is right after your last pose, last wink and last wave,” Whitaker said. “It is just standing there and hearing everyone cheer your name.”
Winners:
Crowd Favorite: Clint Taurus
Miss Congeniality: Ana Lingus
Best Queen: Ana Lingus
Best King: Clint Taurus
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