Upcoming drag show supports Celebrate Your Awesome

By Sam Odrowski

In support of Celebrate Your Awesome, a unique event is coming to Orangeville's Opera House on April 15.

The Spring-Fling Draganza, hosted by TroyBoy Parks, is taking over the theatre's main stage at 87 Broadway for a series of song and dance style performances from several drag queens and kings, kicking off at 7 p.m.

“If you've never been to a drag show and you're wondering what that's all about, a drag show is really just a celebration of a fun,” said Beckie Morris. “It is big costumes, big hair, big makeup and big attitude.”

The songs performed are generally chosen from contemporary pop culture with a particular meaning to the performer, and the show is very interactive with the audience. 

“The energy you give to the performer comes right back at you… these performers are looking to engage with people specifically, and that brings a really interesting kind of dynamic and energy to the performance,” Morris explained.

The Spring-Fling Draganza lineup includes TroyBoy Entertainment, Victoria Parks, Rachael Temptation, Sapphyre Poison, Violet Seductions Parks, Ivory Towers and Heaven Lee Hytes.

Tickets are $30 each, available at orangevilletix.ca, and Lavender Blue is catering the event.

Spring Fling Draganza is for all ages, as no alcohol will be sold, but organizers suggest individuals who are 14 and older attend.

“We had decided to make this one a dry event and to open it to all ages just to be more inclusive because there is an underserved LGBTQ+ population in Dufferin County that are under the age of 19,” said Morris. “So, we really wanted people to be able to have a chance to come and see it, especially like the high school grades.”

She told the Citizen Troyboy and his performers, who are hosting the Spring Fling Draganza, will dial back the language, innuendo, and suggestive content you'd typically hear at a regular show to make it suited for a 14+ crowd.

“If you feel it's appropriate, you can bring kids, but we really do leave that to each person's interpretation of what's best for them,” said Morris. “What do you let your kids watch on TV? Use that as your guide.”

With drag shows becoming more mainstream over the last few years, there has been a rise in protests against them and people expressing “concerns” about their appropriateness for younger audiences.

Morris stressed that no part of drag should make anybody feel uncomfortable. It is a celebration of being unique.

“This is not a political event, it's a celebration,” she said. “This is a song and dance show that's meant to make people feel accepted and to celebrate people's individuality. Nothing more than that.”

And if anyone would like to have a conversation about its appropriateness, Morris said the Celerbate Your Awesome team is happy to chat. 

“If you don't understand, let's have a conversation about it,” Morris said. “That's something that we hope we can we can develop within the community – people's willingness to just have a conversation.

Meanwhile, a unique component of the event that will enhance attendees' overall experience is that it's happening at the Opera House.

“Drag has become a lot more mainstream over the last couple of years, which is wonderful, and there's frequent drag events in town, but what makes this one a little bit different is being able to support it in a theater. It's kind of the difference between watching a movie at home on Netflix and going to the cinema,” Morris explained. “Being able to give a big stage presence, make the bass of the music so you feel it and doing a little light show – it's a ramped-up experience.”

The Spring Fling Draganza is Celebrate Your Awesome's only fundraiser of the year, and all the money raised will go towards supporting the group's annual summertime event in downtown Orangeville.

Up to 273 tickets can be sold for the event, so act fast. It is already more than halfway sold out.

The event takes place at 7 p.m. on April 15 inside the Opera House.