Fairytales played out Saturday at Spectrum's Fall Drag Show.
Princess Ana Cruisis, also known as Damon Clevenger, vice president of Spectrum, emceed the show and treated the crowd to many classic fairytale skits, including eating a poisonous apple and receiving a lost slipper from Prince Charming.
About 700 people came out to Ball Gymnasium on Saturday for the event celebrating PROUD month, which stands for People Recognizing Our Unique Differences. Indiana Youth Group, a support group for GLBT youth, will receive the approximate $700 in proceeds raised by the drag show.
"[Indiana Youth Group] helped me when I came out," Clevenger said. "They helped me with developing who I was and being comfortable with who I was."
The show presented 19 acts and 10 performers. Clevenger, who is a junior at Ball State, said this was the first time there was an almost equal number of drag queens and kings. Names of the performers included Brand Longwood, Sparkling Johnson, Eva Cleer and Spyder Webb.
Miss Gay Muncie, Chelsea Nicole Parker, and Miss Gay Indiana, Ginger Ale, also performed. Spectrum parliamentarian and performer Patrick Pataky said it was the first time a Ball State University drag show had a performance from a professional drag queen since 2005. Miss Gay Muncie, whose real name is Nathan Smith, took time during the show to acknowledge his past at Ball State.
"I got my start right here," he said to the crowd. "This will always be my home."
Clevenger said anyone can perform in the drag show, not just Spectrum members. Spectrum is always looking for new acts and new performers as well as new members, he said. Clevenger said everyone is welcome in Spectrum and any new performers must sit in at least two Spectrum meetings before going through a screening in order to show a preview of their performance and costume, and then they sign a contract.
Music during the performances varied from '80s rock to hip-hop.
"And, of course, a lot of Britneys, Christinas and divas," Clevenger said.
There were also a few singing performances in the show, which Clevenger said was a big difference from past semesters.
Pataky, senior, performed as Serenity Knolls and said he was happy with how things went Saturday.
"We pulled off an amazing show," he said. "I have [received] a lot of feedback from audience members after the show who loved it."
Pataky said there were no major problems or mishaps during the show, which has been the case in the past.
"Last semester someone fell of the stage," he said. "We didn't have that [this year]."
In honor of PROUD Month, Spectrum will have events including a Gender Queer/Trans Social on Oct. 23, Queer Factor on Oct. 25, The Gayme Show on Oct. 27 and Costume Dodgeball on Oct. 31. Clevenger said Spectrum would also be handing out free T-shirts in the Atrium that say "Gay? Fine by me!"
"I just think it would awesome to see people walking down campus wearing those shirts," Clevenger said.
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