By Dionne Smith, Community Editor
There was an overwhelming amount of excitement coming from both the crowd and the performers at the 18th Annual USM Royal Majesty Drag Show & Competition, held by the USM Center for Sexualities and Gender Diversities (CSGD) on March 23. Royal Majesty is the largest campus and community drag show in Northern New England. The guest host for this year was none other than Shangela for the second year in a row who has appeared multiple times on RuPaul’s Drag Race. Tickets were sold out, with more than 700 people arriving to watch in the Holiday Inn By The Bay. Though Shangela was fashionably late due to her flight being delayed from the weather, this didn’t lower the energetic feeling of the crowd.
The performances began with Paxil, the 2016 Royal Majesty first place winner and MECA alumnus, taking the stage. From the first performance onward, the crowd was cheering each performer, who were students or community members, on with loud cheering. Each performer gave it everything they had, from their stunning outfit and makeup to their exciting dance routines. Some performers interacted with the crowd, executed stunning drops on stage, did quick mid-performance clothing changes and used props. Regan White’s performance being one to remember. White being a drag queen from Maine. White not only had a wonderful outfit and perfect makeup, but also performed multiple collapses, one of them being off the stage in front of the crowd. Ethel De Luxe made a return performance, coming in third place last year and being a USM alumnus.
After Luxe’s wonderful performance, the long awaited Shangela was before the crowd. The crowd cheered loudly even before she appeared on stage and only continued to get louder once she appeared. Shangela greeted the crowd with an exhilarating performance using a mixture of songs. The stage only a prop in her grand performance as she moved around the room freely, going all the way to the back for a section of her performance. After her performance, she began to tell an array of jokes and stories. She also gave the crowd a motivational speech, telling them that they just have to be open to learning and observing, and believe in themselves to get to where they want to be.
After Shangela’s grand entrance, she took over as host and the show continued with one amazing guest performance after another, the crowd being especially stunned and wooed with Sundae Morning, Director of the Voulez-Vous Burlesque and Cabaret, putting on a show. There was also a return of Bionysus, the duo who won second place winner from last year’s show and an SMCC alumnus, and Big Mama $atavia performing Material Girl by Madonna. After this performance it was time for the competition between the three contestants. Mac Zeek, a MECA student, Loki High, an SMCC student, and Venus, another MECA student. The competitors were energetic as they showed off their routine, Mac Zeek using glitter during her performance, they threw glitter into the air and covering herself in it as she danced. Loki High dazzled the crowd with ending her performance with roses falling out of her hat as she took a seat, and Venus doing his performance in incredibly high heels.
After all three performances, Shangela came out for her final performance, singing to This Is Me from the Greatest Showman soundtrack with a dress that had inflatable spikes on it. She received a standing ovation at the end of her performance. The winner was then decided, with Loki High taking first, Mac Zeek taking second, and Venus taking third. The show was extremely successful and a lot of money was raised for the CSGD.