Six drag queens took the stage at Grand Rapids Community College student club StandOut’s Drag Show, April 6, including student, Benji Enter.
The 24-year-old drag queen from Rockford had a stage name of “Dizzy Spellz” for the evening.
Performing as four different characters, Enter displayed his skills, including the use of props.
During the last of his appearances, he danced to “Anaconda,” by Nicki Minaj, while throwing honey buns into the crowd.
“I think that was the best one,” Enter said. “I still have too many honey buns left.”
Drag queen co-hosts Jasinya Sanchez and Tequila Sanchez took turns introducing performers throughout the night, with the main host being Jasinya Sanchez, a headliner at Rumors Nightclub.
There was a lively atmosphere, filled with laughter and cheering throughout the evening. The show was full of energy as five drag queens, most affiliated with Rumors Night Club took the stage, along with Enter.
Ben Kleyn, 28, of Wyoming, performed as drag queen “Siren,” also having several outrageous performances throughout the show. Siren performed one song in a costume that contained laser lights on each of his fingers.
Siren’s other characters included a glowing costume with flashing laser lights, and the wicked witch from the Wizard of Oz.
“I like the transformative process,” Kleyn said before the show. “I try to do a variety of acts, like comedy, serious, and artsy. I like the creative aspect a lot.”
Crude humor was a highlight of the show, along with Enter’s honey bun performance, and Rumors’ DJ Monica Parker, who was voted Grand Rapids’ Best DJ in January 2016.
“When you have an event like this and you can just celebrate together, I think it’s a confidence builder,” Parker said. “It’s that feeling of being accepted into the group, where sometimes maybe you didn’t feel like that before.”
The drag queens expressed their difficulty with keeping clean language throughout the evening, and kept complimenting the food.
When asked what he thought of the show, Simon Kittok, adviser of StandOut, said he thought it was excellent.
“I love the variety of styles all the way from really reserved, classy drag, to kind of outrageous clownish drag,” Kittok said.
Enter said he can now look back and laugh at his first onstage experience as a drag queen.
“I was nervous but excited,” Enter said. “I constantly had to pee and I couldn’t, but I will probably do it again.”
