Next week UW will be hosting the eclectic Drag Queen and well-known comedian Charlie Hides.
Currently on RuPaul’s Drag Race season nine, Hides has had a long and successful career in drag and entertainment. As the oldest contestant on the show thus far, Hides has done well, receiving a “safe” status for the first three weeks. Besides his participation in the show, Hides is often recognized for his popular YouTube channel which features comedy and impersonations of multiple celebrities.
“They told me, ‘if you can get him, do it’ and I said, ‘challenge accepted,” Kathryn Demith, a senior in theatre performance, said.
She said she got in contact with Hides through a UW professor’s fiancé who is a close friend of Hides.
Demith even started a “go fund me” page for support to try and get him to perform here.
“This would be an amazing opportunity not only for the students, but for the LGBT and Drag communities in the greater areas such as Fort Collins, Cheyenne and Denver,” Demith said.
Demith is not the only one who is eager to have Hides come to Laramie with his show. With a growing drag community in Wyoming it is very exciting to many Queens to be able to interact with Hides.
“We’ve been familiar with Charlie Hides for a few years now from her YouTube channel,” Joshua “Andromeda Corinthia” Noorda, board member of the Laramie Dragonettes, said.
Noorda has been doing drag for the last three years in Laramie while working with the Burlesque Non-Profit and then starting the Dragonettes about a year ago with Charlotte Albertine, an art student at UW. Since the start of the group, there is now 15 Queens who have joined. They will be ushering Charlie Hides’ performance as well as having their own show the following Friday.
“It’s really nice to have a popular and seasoned Queen come to Laramie and have a bit of that culture brought into here,” Noorda said. “It’s just really exciting for us.”
As for Hide, he is just as excited to perform in Laramie as people are to see his show.
“I’m excited to meet young people who are as passionate about this art form as I am,” Hides said. “I’m also looking forward to seeing your gorgeous town.”
While the drag scene is not new to Laramie there has been a positive increase of its activity in recent years. Along with the 15 Queens in the troupe there are several others spread out among Laramie and Cheyenne.
Noorda said there is definitely an increasing demand in Laramie for drag and for performers like Hide. Besides the beauty of it, there are many reasons for people to get involved with drag.
“Drag is a form of rebellion and self-expression,” said Hides.
For others like Noorda there is a big confidence boost in doing drag. Along with reasons to get involved, Noorda said there are hundreds of different styles of drag ranging from pageant queens, art deco/art nuvo queens, club kids and comedy queens. It is also a great way for people to show off their artistic work with makeup and fashion. Noorda makes a lot of his own accessories and has friends that even make their own dresses.
When it comes to personal style, though, Noorda said it takes a long time to perfect.
“Even though it’s been three years I’m still working on [my style]. You have to go through a process of like, what’s my drag, what works best for me, and what do I enjoy the most,” Noorda said. “And for some Queens it takes many, many years to perfect that.”
Charlie Hides will be performing in the A&S Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19. Following the show he will be offering a question and answer session with everyone who attends.
On April 20, Hides will also be providing a workshop titled “The Low Life in High Heels” to discuss makeup techniques and his experiences as a drag queen. One of his big focuses in makeup are the eyebrows, which he will spend time talking about and tutoring.
“It’s [eyebrows] the hardest part to get right and the most crucial,” Hides said. “It’s not easy to cover busy male brows and if you get the shape wrong it can totally change the character you are trying to create.”
Those who are interested in a fun performance and want to learn more about drag are welcomed with open arms.
“[It’s about] just having a good time, really,” Noorda said. “They’re there to entertain you.”
