This is a show not to be missed!
Have you ever seen a guy do a back flip in stiletto heels? Now you will! Wartburg's annual cabaret/drag show has become a phenomenon in Northeast Iowa. About 450 people attend the performance each year. The show brings in professional drag queens and kings from around the state of Iowa and also features students, faculty, and staff performers. Admission is only $5 for community members and $2 for students. The proceeds go to the Wartburg Alliance organization to cover the cost of the production and some select charities, should there be more funds raised than needed for production costs..
All Wartburg students, faculty, and staff are invited to perform in the show
If you are interested in performing in the next cabaret/drag show, please e-mail alliance@wartburg.edu. If you are nervous about performing by yourself, feel free to get a group together. We encourage you to be creative. Add some choreography; choose some fun music that will get the crowd into it. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
We invite members of other colleges to perform in our show!
Starting in 2008, we began the tradition of allowing students and community members from other colleges in Iowa to perform in our cabaret/drag show. If you are interested in representing your school at this year's performance, please complete the following forms below. Please e-mail them to alliance@wartburg.edu. Let us know if you are in need of our help in arranging lodging if you plan to stay in Waverly that night.
What is drag?
Drag is essentially where a person of one gender dresses in a costume of the opposite gender as a means of entertainment. Drag has been used throughout history in various forms. All actors in Shakespearean times were male so female roles were also portrayed by males. The term drag actually comes from this time period, where side notes were written in the script as Dressed As Girl or D.R.A.G. Drag should not be confused with cross-dressing, which is not a form of entertainment. Drag in the LGBT rights movement has been used as entertainment for fundraisers for worthwhile causes that affect the community.
Why does Wartburg do a cabaret/drag show?
The Wartburg cabaret/drag show honors how the gay rights movement in the United States first began. During the last weekend of June of 1969, police raided and harassed clientele at a local gay bar called the Stonewall Inn, located in the Village of New York City, just as they had done for years before that. Instead of taking this abuse this time, a local drag queen entertainer was said to have stood up and confronted the officers. This action encouraged others to lead a rebellion that created the "Stonewall Riots." This event is considered to be catalyst that began the gay rights movement in America.
Wartburg is an inclusive community that encourages education and respect of all members of its community by learning about different cultures. The annual cabaret/drag show is meant to educate the campus in a fun way about the history of drag and its importance in the LGBT culture in a safe (non-bar) environment on campus.
How does the cabaret/drag show work at Wartburg?
Essentially, a drag show is merely a performer of one gender dressing as the opposite gender in an exaggerated way. Drag performances are usually lip-synced and audience members are encouraged to tip the performers as a form of appreciation. Tips at the Wartburg show are placed in bowls at the front of the stage. Audience members are not to interact directly with the performers so they do not add distractions to the performers.
