Fierce. It’s the one word Anthony Wright used to describe his competition for Syracuse University’s upcoming drag show.

Wright and four other acts will compete in the 12th Annual Totally Fabulous Drag Show preliminary round Thursday, which is sponsored by Pride Union. The show will be held at 7 p.m. in the Schine Underground. Tickets will cost $3 for Syracuse University and State University of New York College of Environment Science and Forestry students with a valid ID and $5 for the public.

“Ours is the largest college show in the country,” said Katie Farr, the director of public relations for Pride Union. “I think that’s because we’re a well-known university, and the fact that we bring in pretty well-known performers.”

Jujubee, who was a contestant on Season 2 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, will host Thursday’s show. There will also be a performance by Kitten N’ Lou, who are a drag king and burlesque queen couple, Farr said.

The preliminary round will consist of the contestants dressing in full drag, where they lip-sync to the audience, Farr said. Three judges who are familiar with drag culture and are close with the LGBT Resource Center will evaluate the acts, she said.

Wright, a senior television, radio and film major, will be competing in the show for the first time. He will be preforming with his friend, Dante Baldassin, a freshman architecture major, as Antoinette and Donyella Dupree.

The show is growing in popularity, Wright said in an email, because students are realizing that drag shows aren’t just a specific type of performance that require special talent, but they are also really fun.

“You get to go and cheer on a bunch of people who are breaking barriers and putting themselves out there in a situation that many people might find uncomfortable,” Wright said, as to why students should attend the event.

The finals will be held on Feb. 21 in Goldstein Auditorium and hosted by drag stars Alyssa Edwards and Shangela. Professional drag king Spikey Van Dykey will also perform at the show.

Published on February 5, 2014 at 11:55 pm

Contact Meredith: mhnewman@syr.edu | @MerNewman93