Expect the unexpected
IFC fraternity to host 3rd annual drag show Sept. 11
Rosie Githinji
Issue date: 8/27/09 Section: A&E
A different kind of royalty is coming to SIUE in the form of a drag king and drag queens.
The men of Delta Lambda Phi are hosting their annual drag show. DLP is a national fraternity for gay, bisexual and progressive males. According to John Davenport, director of Greek Life on campus, this will be the third drag show put on by the fraternity.
Chapter President Tomas Maberry said other fraternities have events they are known for, such as Sigma Pi's Pig Roast and Luau. The drag show is what makes the DLP name known on the SIUE campus. Maberry saw his first drag show at Purdue University in 2006 at a fraternity conference.
"That was my first drag show, and I was floored," Maberry said. "It's basically been our thing. We started doing it in 2007, and it has been amazing."
DLP uses the drag show to kick off recruitment week. They use ticket money for workshops and retreats as well as other activities. DLP also offers a discount to those who bring canned goods to the show, which they then take to the Glen Ed food pantry as part of their philanthropy efforts.
The theme this year is "'Now That's What I Call Drag' Volume 3." The performers try and get the audience involved during the show by stepping off stage and interacting with the audience.
Former chapter president and alumnus Ben Jacobs helped coordinate the first event in 2007. He said numbers have grown since the initial show, and he thinks the low attendance the first year was because people did not know what to expect.
"Everything went pretty well the first year," Jacobs said. "The first year it was mostly sorority girls that supported us by coming."
Since then, other fraternity members as well as faculty and members of the public have joined them, according to Jacobs.
Jacobs said they don't have much trouble finding performers because they were well received the first year. The fraternity has a few alumni members who go to gay bars and clubs to find performers in and around the St. Louis area.
The men of Delta Lambda Phi are hosting their annual drag show. DLP is a national fraternity for gay, bisexual and progressive males. According to John Davenport, director of Greek Life on campus, this will be the third drag show put on by the fraternity.
Chapter President Tomas Maberry said other fraternities have events they are known for, such as Sigma Pi's Pig Roast and Luau. The drag show is what makes the DLP name known on the SIUE campus. Maberry saw his first drag show at Purdue University in 2006 at a fraternity conference.
"That was my first drag show, and I was floored," Maberry said. "It's basically been our thing. We started doing it in 2007, and it has been amazing."
DLP uses the drag show to kick off recruitment week. They use ticket money for workshops and retreats as well as other activities. DLP also offers a discount to those who bring canned goods to the show, which they then take to the Glen Ed food pantry as part of their philanthropy efforts.
The theme this year is "'Now That's What I Call Drag' Volume 3." The performers try and get the audience involved during the show by stepping off stage and interacting with the audience.
Former chapter president and alumnus Ben Jacobs helped coordinate the first event in 2007. He said numbers have grown since the initial show, and he thinks the low attendance the first year was because people did not know what to expect.
"Everything went pretty well the first year," Jacobs said. "The first year it was mostly sorority girls that supported us by coming."
Since then, other fraternity members as well as faculty and members of the public have joined them, according to Jacobs.
Jacobs said they don't have much trouble finding performers because they were well received the first year. The fraternity has a few alumni members who go to gay bars and clubs to find performers in and around the St. Louis area.
Be the first to comment on this story