Annual drag show amazes Ichabods
On Friday, April 14, Ichabods watched as drag queens danced across the floor of the Bradbury Thompson Alumni Center.
The occasion was an annual drag show organized in a collaborative effort by Topeka Pride, Office of Student Involvement and Development, Campus Activities Board and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
“I knew once I started getting involved in Topeka Pride last year, and that one of my major goals was to continue to support Washburn,” said Caleb Soliday, a Washburn alum and the president of Topeka Pride.
Friday’s event featured a diverse set of performances with unique aspects for each drag queen. Many of the drag queens who performed have their own shows in Kansas City, but occasionally perform together.
“We all look out for each other. We all have opportunities. We definitely try to work together as much as possible. You really build families and make good friends in drag, so it’s good to keep those good friends around and keep that good energy around,” said Manic High, a drag queen who performed that night.
One element of the show was its focus on music, which drag queens danced and lip-synced to. Manic High said that each queen picks their own music, and her style focused on 2000s music.
“I feel like I could hear the audience singing along to Taylor Swift more than I could hear the actual song,” Manic High said.
Topeka Pride is planning future events to support the LGBTQ+ community in the future, such as a pride fest in June. Washburn students can expect a drag show as a mainstay on campus.
“I think everyone enjoyed it and I think they will love to see it come back next year,” said Isaiah Collier, the director of student involvement and development.
Upcoming Campus Activity Board hosted events such as this show can be found here.
The show begins with a performance from the show’s host, Kiyanna Uchawi. The annual spring drag show was held April 14 in the Bradbury Thompson Alumni Center.
Karmella Uchawi collects tips from the audience. Anytime a member of the audience wanted to tip a performer, they would hold up the money and the queen would come and collect it.
Karmella Uchawi, a drag queen who performed at the show, strikes a pose. Six different drag queens performed throughout the night.
Kiyanna Uchawi receives a tip from the audience. Audiences tipped drag queens at the high points of their performances.
Manic High starts her performance. Throughout the night, each drag queen performed individually, dancing and lip syncing.
Caleb Soliday, a Washburn alum and the president of Topeka Pride, speaks about Topeka Pride. Topeka Pride sponsored this event alongside Washburn’s Campus Activities Board.
Manic High dances to Taylor Swift. Many audience members were singing along to popular songs the queens performed to.
Audience members hold up their flashlights while Kiyanna Uchawi performs. Uchawi closed out the night with a strong and passionate performance.
Edited by Aja Carter and Glorianna Noland
Your donation will support the student journalists of Washburn University. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.
