Despite rising coronavirus panic, Point Park students showed up at the Lawrence Hall Ballroom on March 11 to view the Campus Activities Board’s annual drag show. 

The drag show is one of the many events which the CAB Spirits and Traditions Committee has continually put on each year. According to students who attended, the drag show is one of those campus events which has become a staple in their lives and has established a tradition for students to come to each year. 

Students gathered outside of the ballroom and were let in to surround a short stage in the middle of the room. Unlike drag show events in the past, the queens didn’t want students just sitting around at tables and watching, they wanted students up close and having fun. Audience members enjoyed the new stage element, saying that it added more fun to the evening as students danced around, cheered and had up close and personal interactions with the queens. 

The show featured six queens from the Pittsburgh area. The queens were Bambi Qween, the host of the event, Akasha L. Van-Cartier, Helen Back, Sasha Nolan, Calipso, and Point Park’s own Brianna Nicole. 

The drag show gave students the chance to forget the coronavirus panic and just have fun together before the mass gathering rules were put in place. 

“Despite the coronavirus outbreak, I wanted to try to enjoy my time left here at Point Park, and the drag show was the perfect opportunity. I wanted to go to events while they are still being offered,” freshman student Sara Waldman said. 

Each queen performed two different numbers. The songs they chose ranged from “Don’t Start Now” by Dua Lipa, to a mix of Lizzo songs, to “So What” by P!nk. The queens covered a number of different song genres.

“Akasha L. Van-Cartier was my favorite,” Waldman said. “This is the second time I’ve seen her now and I just enjoy watching her work a crowd. She always brings it to the table.” 

While the queens wowed the crowd, some students made a special appearance on stage as well. Bambi held a contest where students would come on stage and “lip-sync for their lives.” The contest featured four contestants who were required to give their all on stage. The contestants even pulled off some signature drag queen moves such as splits and death-drops. Overall, all contestants won a Bambi shirt and added an extra fun element to the show.“The contest was really fun! It was a great way to keep the crowd involved and to get the crowd more comfortable with interacting with the show,” Waldman said. “After the contest, everyone was more engaged and cheerful.” 

Attendants enjoyed the opportunity to have fun at the drag show in the midst of chaos. Students were letting loose and singing along with the queen’s performances. and it took place in the ballroom of a small university. The best part about the show is since it’s a tradition, students will have the opportunity to catch the drag show again next school year. 

“I would definitely go see the show again next year! I’m already planning on going and bringing a bunch more friends along. I would encourage everyone to go see these amazing queens next year or just go support them in general,” Waldman said.

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