On Thursday, April 3, Rainbow Alliance hosted their Drag Bingo event in the Natali Performance Center. Students and other attendees waited eagerly in line to purchase their $5 bingo cards and raffle tickets while music hyped up the crowd. Upon the doors opening at 8:30, the crowd filled the seats of the Performance Center and waited for the first act of the night.
Beginning the first of five acts, MC of the night and Drag Queen Calipso wore a yellow, flashy, and feather-adorned showgirl outfit and gathered students into a large conga line before sitting down at the table near the stage. The first numbers were then called, concluding the first round of bingo.
The second act, Drag King Max Starvania, performed multiple songs, in a cosplay of the character Hades, from the Disney film “Hercules”. The next round of bingo followed.
The third act, Drag Queen Savannah Ray performed in a ghoulish look inspired by the Tim Burton film “The Nightmare Before Christmas”. Despite having their right foot injured from a previous performance, Ray still brought an elegant and fluid set, proving that injury doesn’t stop a performer from doing their best. The third round of bingo followed.
The fourth act, New Drag King Zion Grindr, brought the classic track “This is How We Do It” and other popular rap tracks in their set. In a look inspired by classic 90’s male rap artists, Grindr made their debut and joined the ranks of other queens and kings to grace PennWest California’s stage. The last game of bingo proceeded afterward.
The final act, Drag Queen Joey Young, concluded the night with a special performance to Lady Gaga’s latest hit song “Abracadabra”. In their red latex look inspired by Gaga’s newest album “Mayhem”, Young captured the choreography to the “Abracadabra” music video perfectly while doing occasional dramatic splits and playfully calling out “O 71” to the crowd as the final gag of the night.
Drag Bingo is a fun, carefree event that is designed to show students a glimpse into a sector of the overall cultural foundations of the LGBTQ+ community. If interested in other events, Rainbow Alliance’s Instagram page advertises every Drag Bingo and full-fledged show in advance.
