House of Troy

From rainbow spotlights to fishnet tights, USC QuASA celebrated queer performances at the 15th annual drag show.

USC Queer and Ally Student Assembly (QuASA) hosted its 15th annual drag show Sunday, February 2, at Bovard Auditorium, which was transformed into an electrifying ballroom featuring lancet windows and theatrical haze.

Nearly 500 people attended the show, resulting in one of the largest turnouts for the student organization. QuASA aims to hold space for activity in the queer community by hosting events, like pride fest and the lavender graduation. “It’s an opportunity for students to try and celebrate drag every year,” said Victoria Bogomilova, co-director of QuASA.

Alizé Stone, host and drag queen, commenced with a sultry opener. Her drag daughter and co-director of QuASA, ‘Miss Willonique’ followed suit in formidable fashion. The apple certainly doesn't fall far from the tree.

Twelve queens strutted, sashayed and lip synced for their legacy, but only one queen took the crown. Each queen served a spectrum of gender-bending drag in black leather boots, fuschia leopard booty shorts, scintillating rhinestones, voluptuous wigs and many many cheeky derrières.

Perfomances included a homeerotic duet between Edward Cullen and Jacob Black by drag queen Count Dracula and her dance partner, Pestilence, a phallic swan, teaching about historian Procopius and checking notes… a mayonnaise sandwich eating in an oral sex position competition?

Despite the warm atmosphere, some queens took a moment to speak up on the current attack on LGBTQ+ rights by the Trump administration. “Gender affirming care is lifesaving care,” drag queen Ella Mayo said. Other queens, like Dacity, silently held a red triangle behind an agender flag, while her white robe danced against the fan like a breezing mainsail.

As all the queens finished performing, a lip sync battle began: Rae Oblivion versus Kolypso belting “Disturbia” by Rihanna, and Digaysia versus Ella Mayo (who according to Stone, “smelled like mayo” after that performance…) singing “Rush” by Troye Sivan.

In proper drag tradition, both queens stood on either side of Stone before lip syncing for their lives. “Don’t f*ck it up” Stone said, in reference to Rupaul’s Drag Race slogan before a lip sync battle. Knowingly, the audience joined her.

After rounds of strutting, miming and jump splits, Oblivion, another drag daughter of Stone, triumphed while Digaysia conquered their first rounds. Ultimately the two queens sashayed to first place (singing Grammy-winning single “Von Dutch” by Charli XCX), resulting in a titanic victory to Digaysia, who was met with roars of applause after death dropping in the crowd.

As Stone returned to close, a rainbow of drag queens stood from left to right as waves of applause rang throughout the auditorium. They presented a final version of themselves, composed and overwhelmed with love. It was a welcoming sight.

Before closing the event, Stone asked the crowd one more favor: to shout the word “love” in unison. In moments, they obeyed and belted from their bellies, declaring an ultimate affirmation of pride.

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