RuPaul’s Drag Race queens perform for Moncton crowd
Outside, the freezing rain pours down, covering the roads in a sheet of ice, but inside, glitter and sparkles fill the floors. At the Molson Canadian Centre, fans of the reality tv show RuPaul’s Drag Race pile together to catch a glimpse of their favourite stars. . The performing centre is filled with chairs and bleachers, while people are fanning themselves with War on the Catwalk branded fans. The lights dim, “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND” by Raye blares through the speakers, and the crowd goes wild! The “Queen of the Mother Tucking World” walks out to perform the opening number and prepares to emcee the rest of the night… three-time RuPaul’s Drag Race player and the winner of the RuPaul’s Drag Race Global All Stars season Alyssa Edwards. War on the Catwalk is a touring ensemble of Drag Race alumni from season 5 to season 17, as well as queens who returned for the reality show’s All Stars variant. Touring across Canada, the cast are going from coast to coast, stopping in cities in PEI, all the way to British Columbia. On March 11, the queens performed close to home, celebrating 2SLGBTQIA+ art and drag in Moncton!
Each queen in the stacked cast had their own variety of style and aesthetics, with each performance bringing something new and different to the stage. Jewels Sparkles, the runner up of Season 17, had performances that focused on her ditzy character and her stunning beauty. Despite a spine replacement at the age of 14, Sparkles is still able to perform a variety of tricks within her performances. Lydia B. Kollins is known as the first U.S. drag queen to join the 10th RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season before her original season finished airing. She brought her own unique take to drag with a wild-west themed performance with a balance of skilled dance and humour. Her second number was even more over-the-top, with Kollins taking the stage dressed as a bunny, performing an act spoofing magic shows. Bosco, a two-time drag race semi-finalist, performed two sultry numbers, with her first focusing on getting her into a giant goblet filled with water, and her second focused on an 80s glam rock style. Lexi Love, the semifinalist and oldest queen from season 17, performed a number in roller skates filled with flips, splits and tricks. Daya Betty from season 14 and All Stars 10 had a performance that led to an audience member being brought on stage and playing the tambourine to her performance of a Paramore song.
Of all of the stars, the shining performance of the night was Suzie Toot, a fan favourite from season 17. In her first performance, Toot differentiated herself from the others by live singing a musical number. Her draw-dropping vocals were developed during her Bachelor of Fine Arts in musical theatre from Lynn University. This knowledge of the musical theatre world transferred into her second performance, where she performed as Liza Minnelli to celebrate Minnelli’s 80th birthday. Both performances brought humour and glamour to the main stage and showcased her musical skills.
The most important part of the show happened in the first act, where Edwards asked each queen about the importance of bringing drag to the main stage during the current political climate. Each queen highlighted an importance to protect 2SLGBTQIA+ arts. Queens also appreciated being able to perform in a place described by Edwards as the “middle of nowhere.”The event attracted people from across the province, with some driving over two hours in the freezing rain to watch the 2SLGBTQIA+ performances. While the province may be small, there is still an uproar of support for the 2SLGBTQIA+ arts.
Furthermore, there are many other 2SLGBTQIA+ performers found across the province. On the same evening, students a part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ Performances class at Mt.A performed at Ducky’s, with some making their drag debuts! 2SLGBTQIA+ arts can be found all across New Brunswick, and while the local queens may not have competed on Drag Race, they are still icons that have all the magnificence compared to the girls on television.