By NICOLE A. WEST
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
As part of Coming Out Week, the Gay Ally Lesbian Association hosted a drag show Wednesday with nine performers and a standing-room-only crowd in the Fiesta Room of Loftin Student Center.
The drag show, along with other activities throughout the week, is meant for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning students and their supporters to show acceptance.
“It is all about equality and acceptance. If we are not together, we fall apart,” GALA President Rene Orozco, advertising and public relations sophomore, said.
The performers were GALA members as well as local professional performers.
The lights were dimmed, a stage was in place, and students filled the chairs and lined the back wall in anticipation of a lively show.
Psychology Club President Sonya Santiago started off the show by introducing a student performing as Sheba Cashmere on the stage to perform the hit “When You’re Good to Mama” from the musical “Chicago.”
The crowd was filled with laughter and applause as Sheba Cashmere danced and stepped off the stage to interact with the audience.
Many performers followed Sheba Cashmere’s lead as they continued to interact with the crowd by turning the entire Fiesta Room into their stage.
If they were lucky, some performers even received tips from the audience.
Sheba Cashmere told the crowd that drag show audiences traditionally reward the performers with cash if they enjoy the show.
In another tradition, a surgical technician sophomore performing as Anaya Nichole York took a dollar bill from Sheba Cashmere’s lips. Performers rewarded tippers with a kiss on the cheek and the favor was returned.
As soon as Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” blasted through the Fiesta Room and professional Natalie De Sayo walked through the black drapes onto the stage, the crowd exploded with applause and whistles.
The audience was generous with whistles, laughter and applause.
A journalism freshman performing as Aiden performed Josh Turner’s hit, “I Want to Be Your Man.”
He received whistles and applause as he danced on stage.
Anaya Nichole York entered the stage in a pink striped dress and pranced around the Fiesta Room dancing with students in the audience.
She came out a second time in a black and blue sparkly dress and performed Selena’s song, “La Carcacha.”
The audience responded with whistles and numerous tips.
As the event ended, the audience was invited up to the stage to take pictures with the performers and socialize.
Many performers received praise from students as well as handshakes.
In honor of Ally Week, drag performers Autumn Summers and Eryca Daniels will host drag show bingo for the third year at this college from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday in the faculty and staff lounge of Loftin.
GALA meets 3 p.m. Wednesdays in the faculty and staff lounge of Loftin.
For more information on Coming Out Week, contact English Instructor Richard Farias, club adviser, at 210-486–0668.
For more information on GALA, call 210-201-4252.