The show had their own music and dances that were composed and choreographed for performers, they also did comedy sketches and some stand-up performances. They had at least ten specific performances in their repertoire, which was helpful for shows that ran for longer periods of time at the same place. The Jewel Box Revue was the longest running drag show that performed from the 1940s until the 1970s across the United States. This show would go on to set the stage for the touring drag show known as the Jewel Box Revue. Jewel Box Revue ĭoc Benner, and Danny Brown produced the show which started in Miami, Florida, at a gay bar known as Club Jewel Box. According to Elizabeth Ashburn, 'A drag king is anyone, regardless of gender or sexual preference or orientation, who consciously makes a performance of masculinity.' Therefore, drag performers of the drag king scene typically identify as women, but some may be cisgender men or transgender men.ĭuring World War II, parody drag shows were also a regular kind of entertainment for soldiers who dressed up as humorous-looking women and put on shows for each other. It was not until about 50 years later that the term drag king was coined and performances started popping up across the United States. Butch African American women constructed their own forms of masculinity inside and outside of Blues performances which set the stage for future performers in drag. Women of the Harlem Renaissance like Gladys Bentley, a prominent Blues singer, regularly wore tuxedos and dressed in men's clothing while performing. Drag balls were social events that brought people together who were on the margins of society and they often had to meet in secret. White people were not excluded but did not typically participate. Harlem drag balls were primarily made up of people of color. These shows featured extravagant performances of gays and lesbians impersonating the opposite sex and competing against one another in fashion shows. The first known drag balls in the United States were in Harlem in the 1920s, at the Rockland Palace. This law or code was aimed at eliminating what it saw as perversion and disallowed men impersonating women in film, temporarily ending the era of male impersonation in film and theater. The impersonation of the opposite sex was popular in theater and film until 1933 when the Hollywood Motion Picture Production Code was passed.

She had a low voice and shaved regularly her facial hair to cause it to form a stubble. In the Victorian period English actresses impersonated men in theater, and in America actresses like Annie Hindle also impersonated men in her performances. Since women were not allowed to participate in drama or theater, men impersonated women when acting on stage. There have been independent examples of drag in England and China in the 1500s. Instances of drag have been recorded well before drag shows began. History and development Early existence 1870s drag king Ella Wesner

Some events are centered around drag, such as Southern Decadence where the majority of festivities are led by the Grand Marshals, who traditionally are drag queens. Young male dancers have often been included.

The performers often don elaborate costumes and makeup, and sometimes dress to imitate various famous opposite sex singers or personalities. The performers are often given cash tips by the audience members. There might also be some comedy, skits, and audience interaction. Typically, a drag show involves performers singing or lip-synching to songs while performing a pre-planned pantomime or dancing. Drag became a part of gay culture and a form of entertainment usually enjoyed by adults in bars. The modern drag show originated in the speakeasies and underground bars of 1920's and 1930's Prohibition America, in what was known as the Pansy Craze. Shows can range from burlesque-style, adult themed nightclub acts to all-ages events with sing-alongs and story times. A drag show is a form of entertainment performed by drag artists impersonating men or women, typically in a bar or nightclub.

Drag queen shows near me 2022