Springfield’s Small but Impactful Drag Scene
Written by Hadley Berry & Autumn Adams
Photography by Molly Pritchett
Models & Interviewees : Queen Jessica, Queen Jolene, King Kameleon, Queen Lasagna, Queen Mia Gunn Mornett, & Queen Reggie So Kold Markstone-Carrington
I introduced myself to the Springfield drag community in August of 2021 on my first weekend of college. As a long-time admirer of the authentic, beautiful, and creative art form of drag, with a newfound drag community at my fingertips, it wasn’t long before I started performing within the space under the name Just Jessica. One of the most important aspects of life is finding community. Whether that community is based on location, identity, or art, everyone deserves to find a group of people that accepts them for what they do and who they are.
Being on stage in my heels while people cheer and celebrate my authentic vision and artistry has brought me an unshakable feeling of acceptance I could never replace. After performing in the local drag scene for over three years now, I’ve been able to discover a powerful group of artists. Discriminatory rhetoric and federal laws are actively harming our community, but drag performers rarely go down without a fight. Through sharing the stories of my drag brothers, sisters, and my own experiences, shedding light on our community has never been more important.
I want to start with Jolene, who combines theatrical performances, quick wit, and camp aesthetics. We’ve been drag sisters since the day I started performing in drag and she is one of the funniest performers I’ve met. Jolene describes her drag as character driven.
“Drag, for me, is a way to play a character . . . I’ve combined my love for theater, video games, and old European style fashion together into this one monster that is Jolene,” she said. Jolene has starred in many Springfield Little Theater productions and has performed in various other productions as well.
Queen Lasagna was the first drag queen I ever saw perform live, and just so happens to be my drag mother as well. Lasagna draws inspiration from places like partying and Y2K.
“Drag is scary but fun,” she said. “Being able to walk through downtown Springfield and have people staring at you is so fun.”
Audiences are captivated by her charismatic performances and blonde bimbo looks. Lasagna is spokesperson for our community as well, always advocating for higher pay for drag performers and insisting our community is met with respect.
“I think people should be more engaged with Springfield drag,” Lasagna said. “A lot of people want to come to the venues to drink and go clubbing but ignore the queens the entire time.”
Reggie So Kold Markstone Carrington is a staple for Springfield drag and has been for four years. Her electric dancing and sheer performance ability is rivaled by no one — I’ve never seen someone get a crowd more energized.
“Once I performed for the first time, I fell in love with drag,” Reggie said. Reggie draws inspiration from icons like Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Beyoncé, and uses her dancing talents to help choreograph her large-scale performances.
Reggie also opened up about some struggles within the community.
“The main struggle is the cost of drag,” she said. “When you do drag, you rarely get a profit back on the money you’ve spent. We work hard and spend a lot of money to get very little back.”
Springfield’s local drag king comedian, King Kameleon, uses character-driven methods to put on a good show. He’s been doing drag for only a year, but has been performing comedy sketches for around 10 years.
Despite his recent entrance to the local drag community, Kameleon is worried about the future of drag in Missouri.
“I think queer art is going to always struggle in red states,” Kameleon said. “It’s always lingering that drag bans are completely possible in Missouri.”
He draws the audience in with outlandish props and costumes. Kameleon refers to himself as “Peepaw” in the dressing room and is the first one to help when aid is needed.
Mia Gunn has been performing in the Springfield drag scene since 2012. She’s always advocated for new talent getting the chance to prove themselves and is the reason so many drag performers have garnered a career in our scene. Mia’s love for the punk-rock, gothic aesthetic is something that helps her stand out amongst other local performers.
“We need up and comers to put their spin on the drag scene and keep it fresh,” Mia said. “Drag isn’t what it used to be, I love that everyone has their own thing and if we keep doing that, we’ll stick around.”
The rise in exposure to Midwest archetypes, aesthetics, and culture has been prevalent across the current pop landscape of film, television, and music. A modern example of this influence would be the musical artist Ethel Cain, real name Hayden Anhedönia. Although Anhedönia is not a drag artist, her impact is felt through the community. She showcases the haunting gothic beauty of the Midwest through aesthetics and sonic influence on her most recent album “Preacher’s Daughter” which exploded into the mainstream with the hit single “American Teenager.” Cain identifies herself as a trans bisexual woman and has regularly spoken out in support of LGBT+-related issues and protecting related legislation through her various platforms and performances.
Yet another entertainer to mention would have to be Trixie Mattel, real name Brian Firkus, the illustrious drag queen who initially received notoriety from her time on the reality TV show RuPaul's Drag Race, and has since achieved a behemoth of success with her unique drag presentation and bright pink cowgirl western branding.
What many may not typically associate with a typical caricature of the Midwest is a bustling drag scene, however, that is precisely what they're missing. A major part of Midwestern culture is a strong work ethic which is reflected in the drag performers as well. Performers have to either be fully independent or get help from peers, generating a sense of community. The smaller scene elevates the community aspect also when considering the abundant resources a bigger city drag scene, such as New York or Chicago, will have.
A rising star among the drag scene of the Midwest is none other than the illustrious Willard native, Chappell Roan. While she may be selling out venues with thousands of attendees and drawing crowds larger than ever before at music festivals, she has continued to maintain her undying support of the drag kings and queens that have inspired and uplifted her career. The woman behind the superstar Chappell Roan, Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, has gone on record clarifying that the character she performs as is a drag persona, further paying homage and combining her music with drag artistry.
As a tradition for every one of her headlining shows, Roan and her team scout and hire various local drag performers to open for her in each city she performs in. This act alone has platformed and given opportunities to dozens of drag performers, as well as provided connections to Roan herself. The mainstream exposure that comes with sharing a stage with Roan is something that many of these queens could only ever dream of, but the impact has been profound.
“Looking at Chappell now, she’s such an inspiration to people from places like Southern Missouri,” Jolene said. “To see someone who is so queer and so open and outspoken about her queerness and where she’s from. It’s so inspirational because of how big her cultural impact is.”
Kameleon is excited about the positive representation Roan is bringing to drag queens.
“She’s redefining what Midwestern queer looks like,” he said. “It’s so exciting to see it flourish and that it’s a representation of all of us in a good way.”
Chappell Roan’s recent rise to stardom has given the world a new perspective on what a drag artist can be. Prior to the success of Roan’s album and cultural significance, there were very limited views on what could be labeled drag. The general public believed that drag was boiled down to a man looking as feminine as possible, but that’s just one avenue of the artform. Chappell Roan being an out lesbian, cisgendered woman, and performing in highly feminine drag has proven drag is more than a man dressing like a woman. Drag is an artform with no rules. Anyone can be a drag queen, king, artist, regardless of gender identity or other expectations. Like many other art forms, it doesn’t matter what you are, but rather the passion and love for the art form that is praised.
The Springfield drag community has encompassed these qualities more recently, diversifying the types of drag represented even though within our community there’s been push back. The performers mentioned through this article have fought for representation in and out of our community, proper payments, and ensuring our drag community is a welcoming environment for anyone looking for their tribe. Small town drag is powerful and full of love, despite the fact that many don’t see it.