The Grand Valley gay community flashed their colors last Saturday night at Tenacious Brothers Pub. It was the first drag show of the school year, even though most of the performers are not students. Past drag shows have been hosted as fundraisers on campus by the Gay Straight Alliance but this one was just for fun, although the performers graciously accepted tips.
Nicole Stomberg made her debut as Theadorable VanDyke last weekend. Theadaorable is a senior criminal justice major at Mesa State and also a former GSA president and vice president.
“I usually run these things, I don’t usually perform,” said Theadorable VanDyke.
“I’m excited and nervous,” he said as he waited for the show to start. When asked why he wanted to do drag he answered without missing a beat, “peer pressure.” He managed to work through his nerves and perform, dressed very similarly to one of his idols, Jimmy Buffet. As he performed he handed leis and beads to all his admiring fans as they stuffed dollar bills in his shirt.
“You get to feel like a star for one whole night” said Theadorable VanDyke, and he definitely held his fair share of spotlight. After he performed he was officially crowned in as a drag king of the Grand Valley by his drag father Spic VanDyke and drag uncle Aiden VanDyke.
T. VanDyke said his favorite part of drag was the costumes, and last Saturday was no exception. The show opened with a drag king review of the YMCA by the Village People which featured a Native American, a construction worker, a police man, and a soldier.
“Last year one of the drag queens came out in CDs” said Theadorable VanDyke.
Jessica Chavez, Theodorable VanDyke’s girlfriend, was there for moral support.
“It [a drag show] defines that there really is no limitations to normal,” said Chavez. Drag shows are a big part the gay community especially in small communities like the one in the Grand Valley.
“I think possibly a lot of it is that we embrace the stereotypes and that we can express ourselves despite them, plus it’s fun” said Amanda Williams, the current GSA president.
“We have a lot of stereotypes out there were trying to break so we try to put ourselves out there as how want to be seen,” said Williams “We’re breaking boundaries here, it’s fantastic!”
“I think personally it brings the community together,” said Aiden VanDyke, and that is not an understatement. There were people packed from wall to wall at TBP that night, cheering on members of the GLBT community from all over the Grand Valley.
“It’s a new world,” said Chavez. Drag shows are an opportunity for performers to go all out.
“You get to pretend you’re someone you’re not,” said T. VanDyke. The GLBT community gets to spend the night in alternate reality where twisting the norm is a good thing, which is something very important and special to members of a small community like this one.