The Fourth Annual Drag Show, this past weekend, began with a bang, or rather, a toot, as Stony Brook Live took the stage bass, feather boa, and all.
Stony Brook Live is a music ensemble comprised of about 20, mostly male undergraduate students. Add in a couple wigs, some men in skirts and women with mustaches and you’ve got yourself a drag show.
But this was only the beginning.
On Thursday and Friday nights, students packed the Tabler Arts Center Blackbox Theatre to max capacity, nearly 150 people. Little standing room was left for those who didn’t show up an hour before the 8:30p.m. time start.
“I think the only thing from keeping it from getting bigger than it already is the fact that there isn’t a space that’s as malleable as the Blackbox Theatre,” said student and LGBTA, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Alliance, member Daniel Weiss. “We can really go crazy with decorations and stage setup. There’s really no where else on campus that let’s us get that same intimate feel.”
A typical drag show features choreographed performances by men and women dolled up as the opposite gender. Special guest impersonators included Spice Girls, Destiny’s Child, French songstress Camille, and Mariah “Mimi” Carey.
Rihanna, impersonated by Frank Trombetta, was the last and possibly most memorable performances of the evening. Trombetta wowed the audience in a self-choreographed rendition of “Who’s That Chick,” a recent single by the popular singer. Donning a tight blue mini dress and a fiery, feathered coif, Trombetta made dancing in 4-inch heels look like a walk in the park.
“Last year I did Lady Gaga,” said Trombetta, a senior chemistry major. “I had to do something crazier to top that performance. I saw what Rihanna was wearing in the music video for the song and right then I was like I need to wear that one day.”
For students like Amanda Yu, it wasn’t all about seeing a show, but the support of her friends in the gay community.
“I’m a Christian and personally this doesn’t go against my values,” Yu said. “I have a lot of friends in the gay community and I’m here to show them support.”
The Stony Brook LGBTA, organizers of the event, also had a bigger goal in mind. All proceeds from the show’s three dollar suggested donation went towards the Ali Forney Center, a shelter for homeless LGBT youth.
