Caitlyn Nakatsukasa | Freelancer

One of the most popular events is back on campus, and its hype at the school is monumental.

Western’s 22nd Drag Show took place on April 11 and 12. The show is hosted by the Triangle Alliance and the show, script and choreography is completely run by students. The inaugural event is a unique one that has a mix of drag elements, musical performances and unique styles. Often known for its groundbreaking, upbeat vibe and entertainment, it’s an event that everyone wants to attend every year.

This year’s theme was Candyland and the storyline is closely associated with the gameplay of the board game. Similar to the board game, the Drag Show starts off with two girls wanting to play a game of Candyland and later finding themselves in the board game. They learn that King Kandy, the most respected character that keeps the world colorful, is missing and the townspeople are worried that villain Lord Licorice will take over and ruin all of Candyland. The characters encounter other characters such as Mamma Ginger Tree, Jib and Princess Lolly who all join them in their search for King Kandy.

“Candyland” focused on pride and discovering self-identity. Candyland’s main message for the audience is to lift each other up in love and encourage others to celebrate who they are and be proud of it. Characters in the show struggled with this and showed that the digression of self love and acceptance was not easy.

Lord Licorice was embarrassed about his sexuality which caused him to be angry and become the villain he is. He never meant to hurt anyone but felt ashamed because he was different from other people which caused him to act in the way that he did. This shows the struggle that unfortunately many people today go through with acceptance and self-identification.

“Self-discovery is a process, and I really wanted to explore that,” said Suse Doepken, the scriptwriter for the show. “I tried really hard to give a variation of characters and expressions, like genderfluid, questioning, super feminine, super masculine and gay.”

Doepken wanted everyone to feel included whether the person is a part of or an ally of the community: “I truly hope the audience was able to find themselves relating or seeing aspects of themselves in the characters I brought to life.”

Doepken believes that discovering oneself and identity can be a scary and wanted the script of the show to reflect that journey so others out there can relate and not feel alone.

“(The show) was fun and exciting. Being part of a community that encourages each other to be themselves is so heartwarming. It’s always nice to be around people that can relate and support you.” said Chase Tabladillo, who played the Duke of Swirl.

This was Tabladillo’s second year in the show, and she believes the show gives people the opportunity to step out of their comfort zone and do things they’ve never done before, such as dancing and performing in front of many people; “We all had our ups and downs but at the end of the day we all pulled through as a group and made this amazing show happen.”  

“I decided to join drag show after realizing my sexuality and accepting it,” explained Mandy Storm, who performed as Dame Inatrix, and played Jolly. “I have many friends that do it and they encouraged me to at least try, so I did. And I loved every minute of it. I loved that it could be my true self and not be judged.”

Storm loved the sense of community the show brought and the friendships that were built during the production. This is her first year being part of drag show. “The most memorable part of the show was the support and encouragement that was given to me by everyone in the cast. I was able to build relationships that will last forever.”

“Candyland” was a hit and it was all because of the cast and crew. At the end of the show they stated that society should work together to lift each other up in celebration for who they are. Everyone did an outstanding job executing that message and help make this an event where it’s safe to express yourself in a fun manner.

Contact the author at cnakatsukasa15@wou.edu

Photos by: Paul F. Davis