LSU Residential Life collaborated with the LSU Student Government to host the Geaux Diva Live Drag Show in the Royal Cotillion Ballroom. The long-recurring event draws in bigger crowds each year and gives the LSU student body a glimpse into the world of drag performance.
This year’s featured queens are Andy Black, London Manchester, Santana A. Savage and Malaysia Babydoll Fox. Each queen has their own unique performance style and personal journey with the art of drag. Each queen performed two rounds, leaving a lasting impression on the audience.
As the ballroom filled up and students took their seats, excitement filled the atmosphere. It got so packed that chairs ran out, and many students opted to sit on the floor or just stand. The audience sang along to tracks the DJ played and even got a small voguing party going as they waited for the queens to hit the stage. The energy was positive and patient.
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Right before the show started, the host reiterated some basic ground rules: No touching the queens, stay out of the performance space, tip the queens and match their excitement. Boundaries such as these allow the queens to be comfortable while performing and still have some fun with it.
After that, Andy Black was the first queen to hit the stage and did so in an elaborate witch costume and a sleek, black ponytail. Andy Black is based in Lafayette and has gained notoriety for her punk-inspired costuming and five-star death drop. Andy Black’s performance was very Halloween-adjacent and set the tone for the remainder of the night.
Next up was London Manchester, a Baton Rouge-based queen who began her drag career in 2016 while attending LSU. Since then, London Manchester has made countless strides in the local drag scene and became the Show Director for Splash Nightclub. London Manchester’s performance was nothing short of whimsical. It was pop-infused, with rainbow everything being her primary theme. Her colorful hair and costume and her sultry performance style had the crowd eagerly awaiting her second set.
The third performance of the night was from Santana Savage. Santana Savage also serves as the Show Director at Mother’s Lounge in Baton Rouge. Her high-energy performance featured popular pop-metal songs such as “Misery Business” by Paramore. Rocking a silver corset and black accessories, she successfully fused her personal aesthetic with the stage.
The night’s final performance was from Malaysia Babydoll Foxx, a Miami-based queen who competed on season 15 of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Her performance featured high kicks, twirls and a standout pink glittery dress that was revealed under her coat. Malaysia Babydoll Foxx brings a hyper-feminine flair to the stage that closed the Geaux Diva Live Drag Show on a high note.
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This installation reveals the growing popularity of drag amongst the LSU student body and how spaces such as these can be a place for unapologetic self-expression. Looking at the crowd as the performances went on showed just how many people find joy and solace in the art of drag performance. This could be taken as a sign to keep this Homecoming tradition going.
