At nearly every drag and burlesque show, I get asked the same question: How long have you been doing this? I never really know how to respond. The easy, sort of official answer is that I had my draglesque debut as Vicious Mockery at the variety show Glamorama this past January, but that’s not really where my story starts.
I often tell people I did drag and a few stripping numbers ten years ago in college as part of Pride events and Rocky Horror Picture Show shadowcasts, but I didn’t have a name or brand back then. That’s not exactly the start of it either, though.
In high school, I was an avid cosplayer, dressing up as fictional characters and running around convention centers with my friends, and I performed in talent shows. Very often—not yet knowing I was trans—I preferred to dress as male characters. I remember using YouTube to teach myself “crossplay” makeup techniques and scaring my mother with my total transformations. Still, that doesn’t really go back far enough.
The truth is, I often feel like I’ve been doing drag in my bedroom since I was a little kid. I would bounce around my room as a child (or stomp dramatically to the park if I was “running away” again), lip syncing to the stylings of Hilary Duff, the Beatles, Avril Lavigne, and JoJo (not to be confused with Ms. Siwa). Little queer Charli would tell my mother, “I’m half a boy and half a girl” and then gallivant off to flop around on my bed in what some might identify as early attempts at death drops.
As a kid, I needed the storytelling outlet that music, costumes, and makeup provided. It helped me process my emotions when my family’s house burned down, when my parents were fighting, when my dad was drinking too much, and when he died. It helped me dig deep to understand what I was feeling in ways I couldn’t by talking to a trusted adult—though I had very few of them, anyway, given the transphobia and homophobia of the 2000s. I used cross-dressing and lip-syncing as therapy and expression throughout my childhood and adolescence, but it wasn’t until adulthood that it clicked: I’ve always been a drag performer.
I mention this not to proclaim my expertise in drag or burlesque (far from it) but because both art forms are under attack across the country under the guise of “protecting children.” Here’s the thing, though: Drag is for kids. It was for me, and it is for other kids, too. Not every drag show is appropriate for children, just like not every play or every TV show is, but drag as an art form is for everyone. Drag is expression. Drag saves lives.
Of course, drag and burlesque bans aren’t actually about keeping children safe, but I’ll go deep on that in a future column.
While most of my experience is in drag, I’d be remiss to not include burlesque in this monthly column. Drag and burlesque have long existed in tandem. They have a lot in common. Both art forms draw on humor, satire, hyperbole, and gender expression to tell a story. You’ll often see drag and burlesque performed side by side in cabaret shows.
Drag and burlesque have also historically been performed by people on the outskirts of society: marginalized folks who, for a long time, could only express themselves publicly through performance. Drag and burlesque performers have long experienced similar censorship and legal issues that forced both art forms underground. For instance, drag and burlesque were popular forms of entertainment in speakeasies during Prohibition, a legacy that continues today in modern speakeasies and bars. The underground ballroom scene—founded and maintained by queer Black and Latine artists—also laid the foundation for much of the drag scene today and have been fundamental gathering spaces for queer and trans people for over a century, including through the gay liberation movement.
With the Rhinestone Digest, I hope to discuss the local drag and burlesque scene as well as showcase performers and productions doing interesting work across the city. I’ve done a ton of jobs in the scene—performer, producer, tip kitten, door person, stage manager, promoter, graphic designer—but I’m by no means an expert. I’m still learning, and I hope to learn alongside you, dear reader, as we delve into what makes the local scene tick (or not!) and what the future of the scene may look like.
With every installment of this monthly column, I’ll leave you with a list of local shows and events I think are worth checking out. Since it’s Pride month, please excuse that this first list of shows is a little long. If you’re producing a show and want to get the word out, drop me a line either by email or DMing @vicious.mockery.drag on Instagram.
Noteworthy drag, burlesque, and variety shows in Chicago
Some venues have age restrictions or recommendations. See venue website for complete information
Chuckle Head Drag Comedy Competition: Season 5
Open run Tue 8 PM beginning 6/3, Otherworld Theatre, $8
Burlesque Hall of Fame watch parties
Fri 6/6 9 PM, Sat 6/7 3 PM, and Sun 6/8 6 PM, Newport Theater, $10-$20 donation
Notes on Masculinity, a king-center cabaret
Tue 6/10 8 PM, California Clipper, $10 at the door only. (This night of the bimonthly show will celebrate coproducer and drag king Switch the Boi Wonder’s birthday!)
Juneteenth Jump Off!, presented by Bawdy Suit
Thu 6/19 6 and 9 PM, Den Theatre, $31-$268
Chicago Pride Fest
Sat–Sun 6/21-6/22 11 AM-10 PM, Northhalsted (Halsted between Addison and Grace), $20 suggested donation
Witch-O-Rama Market & Drag Show: Pilsen Edition
Sun 6/22; market noon-5 PM, drag show 3 PM, Hoste, $3 at the door
Brown Bottom Burlesque: You Don’t F*ck Me!, presented by Body Confidence for Queens
Thu 6/26 7:30 PM, Newport Theater, general admission $30, VIP $45
Freak Flag: Pride Pole Show
Presented by Black Skrippa Brigade
Sat 6/28 6:30 PM, Little Village location TBA, $20-$25
King of Drag watch parties
Sun 6/29-7/20 7:30 PM, Uptown Taproom, $10