By Chris Brown & Jenna French
A hurricane hit the University of Louisville last Friday night as drag queens and dark clouds descended on Belknap campus for commonGround’s annual lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender scholarship benefit show, “PINK.”
Just minutes into the show, severe weather sent the show’s cast and record 275 attendees seeking shelter in the basement of the Swain Student Activities Center, where the event was held.
“I didn’t cause this!” joked Hurricane Summers, a professional drag queen and the host for the event, about a tornado that touched down outside of the Louisville area during the storm.
Undeterred by nasty weather, the show resumed after a half hour, and Summers and a troupe of other drag queens, including Rebecca Matthews, Samantha George, Kaya King and Phoenix Sky, took to the stage.
“Being stuck in the basement was scary, but it was worth the wait,” said junior English major Katie Graham.
One of the performers acted out “The Crying Game” while dressed as Boy George; another lip-synced to Madonna’s “Vogue,” complete with dance moves. Still another drag queen danced to “Come on Over” by Christina Aguilera, ending it by ripping off her shirt and pants. Summers entertained the crowd with a song about a sexy pizza boy.
Elaborate costumes and makeup made this show larger than life and delighted many audience members. “I was very impressed by everyone’s performances,” said sophomore psychology major Beline Cech.
Other members of the audience gathered in front of the stage, waving dollar bills as tips while the ladies performed.
Members of commonGround, the recognized student organization behind the show, said that Summers has attended every PINK in the show’s 11-year run.
The show, which was sponsored in part by the Student Activities Board, was started to support U of L’s only LGBT scholarship fund. The scholarship was created in memory of Ken Terrill, a theater professor and the adviser for the former Gay, Lesbian or Bisexual Alliance (GLOBAL), who died in 1994. This year, the show garnered about $1,500 for the scholarship fund, said senior Ben Moore, a member of commonGround’s board of directors.
“When I see an event like this, it makes me so proud to be part of the LGBT community at U of L,” said Cindy Conley, director of U of L’s office of LGBT Services. Conley, as well as commonGround adviser Bobby Pleinis and Danielle Bristow, the former adviser and U of L assistant director of Admissions, were all on hand for the show. Bristow donned green makeup and performed with King as Alfeba and Glenda from the hit Broadway musical “Wicked.”
PINK moved from its former home in the Red Barn to the stage in the SAC this year. Moore said the show has been on an “evolutionary course” from its beginnings in the Red Barn to its “new beginning” on its new stage this year.
“You all got us here,” Moore told members of the audience at the show, thanking them for their support and attendance over the last decade.
