By Karen Parr-Moody
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Prepare to witness womanhood interpreted by a sex otherwise known for hairy legs: men. This occurrence, as always, takes place annually during the Spring Drag Show on a stage at Austin Peay State University. The doors of Clement Auditorium open at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March 27 for this year’s performance and the cost of admission is $7. The show begins at 7 p.m.
Like daffodils poking through the warming soil, the vibrant drag queens of this region see spring as a traditional rite: it’s time to hit that APSU stage with some sparkling stilettos and prove exactly who’s the fiercest of them all.
But despite the ferocity, it’s not a competition. It’s simply a stage set for the best of the best in the drag queen genre. And this spring the high bar has been set by Ms. Noel Cummings, the drag character created by professional dancer Logan Roberts. He won Drag Idol 2015 and this is why he will use the Spring Drag Show to prove why he’s the queen of the drag world.
Aided by his husband of four years, Zach Nielson, Roberts will join many of his fellow drag queens to set that stage on fire. How do we know that Roberts has fire in his stilettos? Simple: He’s been a professional dancer for half his life, has performed in Las Vegas for four years and on cruise ships for a decade.
Oh, and guess what he did in his bid to win Drag Idol?
“I ran down the aisle and slid myself into a split,” he says.
You try that move and see how you like it.
Roberts has not only honed his drag queen skills to razor sharpness; he also loves the nuances involved in flattering women through drag artistry.
“I think it goes over well when a man can give that illusion and make it comedic or dramatic,” he says.
The show will be hosted by drag queen Anna Freeze, a regional favorite. It is hosted by the university’s Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA).
Following the event there will be an after-show party featuring all of the drag queens. It will begin at 10:30 p.m. at Fusion Night Club at 1032 South Riverside Drive. There is a $5 cover with a $10 BYOB charge for patrons who wish to bring their own alcohol. The age limit is 21 and older.