January drag show starts 2023 with a bang
Our first drag show of 2023 started out with a bang (technically smoke bombs are silent, but close enough). On January 7th, The GhostLight Lounge hosted five incredible drag performers, and our bar was packed with excited patrons. Sinna K. Vontrapp led the mix of Owensboro and Evansville performers. Sinna performs at nearly every show, an incredible feat considering how much time and effort it takes to perfect a routine. Sinna goes beyond her drag performances too- and we like to give credit where credit is due. Not only does she take the stage as a performer, she also helps host the show with the Bossman, Rich Jorn, taking moments to interact with the audience and keep them in the loop on what’s going on beyond the shows (and giving the other performers extra time to get to their places). Sinna is the queen behind the scenes, booking the lineups and reaching out to performers all around the Owensboro area to come down to the GhostLight Lounge.
Following Sinna in the line-up was Lolita, Sinna’s drag daughter and familiar face to the GhostLight Lounge. Just as her name suggests, Lolita is the kind of performer that makes you hold your breath, wondering just how she’s going to manage her next move in those twelve-inch platform heels. But those heels never miss a step, (and while literally, Lolita leaves very little to pull off), she hits every move with her risqué attire and unconventional choice of music. (our bar manager Alex still isn’t over the Lana Del Rey moment from the Halloween show last year).
Sanora Q. Zahara took the stage next, local to Owensboro and a regular to the GLL drag shows both as a performer and an audience member. Sanora moves with grace, and a face made for the stage. Expressive and energetic, Sanora’s performances get the audience moving up to her level (with a snap of her signature “So High” fan to seal the deal).
Foxxy Shenanigans followed, another local queen and natural performer. Foxxy’s performances exude the energy of a gymnast at a house party who forgot the laws of physics. How she manages to do all that in our tiny performance space without a hair out of place is a mystery only whatever higher power granted her with all that talent can answer.
Vivika Darko closed each round, and they took that to heart. Vivaka’s first number nearly shut the entire show down but thankfully our smoke detectors knew better. (We did have to open every door and waft away the remains of the smoke, but by the time the smoke from outside started filling its place it was safe to close them again). Their next routine, which required a bit of stalling from our aforementioned bar manager and her father that featured some unresolved family trauma, was just as shocking. A tribute to the animals unjustly brutalized and slaughtered by the beauty and fashion industry, Vivika entered in a bunny outfit tied to cart before having their back ripped off and dancing to “Bunny is a Rider”. Is that fur coat worth it? In true Vivika fashion, they shocked the audience even more, both proving their abilities as the ultimate performer with a live rendition of “And Fools Shine On”, and ending the show with a ventriloquist routine out of your best nightmare.
Usually, performers take the stage solo. However, our show was coming to a close in an unorthodox fashion when both Lolita and Vivika joined together to celebrate themselves. These two performers’ friendship transcends this environment and finds itself again in the wild. It’s always enjoyable to watch the chemistry that these artists have with one another at these shows. Seeing them interact with other kings and queens from their past shows is one thing, but seeing two real life friends come together in this style of expression is truly heartwarming, and illustrates just how tight knit this community is and can be.
Drag, in its purest form, is just another form of artistry and self expression with the twist that it combines the movement and athleticism of the body with elaborate and meticulously crafted personas, costumes, and identities that serve as a vehicle to convey the artists own underlying self. These stage names, these costumes, and these dance numbers all come together to illustrate our incredibly talented artists that we have in our community, and most importantly, it all culminates in enjoyment for these performers. They all deserve to be celebrated, and we hope to see them all again very soon. This was by far one of our most entertaining shows, and we can’t wait to see what our next Drag Show (A King Show on 2/11) will bring.
