Throughout the year, 16 year olds to 66 year olds around the Palouse take to the Tabikat Productions stage and perform in drag.
Big hair, flashy costumes and bright lights set the stage. Booming voices and thunderous applause fills the room. Drag queens and kings alike have created vibrant personas for themselves — some new, some veterans.
But, Tabikat Productions does not exist purely for the sparkle and shimmer, Kathy Sprague said. On stage, drag performers are performers first, Sprague said. But, the production company teaches all entertainers — many of whom are active within the LGBTQ community — to be kind “on stage, back stage and off stage.”
“Everyone should just be more like Mr. Rogers,” Sprague said.
Faye
Sprague said the way the LGBTQA community is portrayed on TV, specifically reality TV programs like “Rupaul’s Drag Race,” creates a culture adverse to the culture she has worked to create in Moscow.
“That kind of conflict and trash talking in reality shows makes for good TV, but it makes for a terrible life,” Sprague said. “I want our people to feel loved and welcome.”
That sense of appreciation and care for the community around her began 25 years ago. Sprague said she and her close friend David began filming drag performance segments, which they called Mrs. Stubblemeyer’s Neighborhood — similar to Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.
“We would do the most bizarre and crazy things,” Sprague said.
Even though the performances were for show, Sprague said the two friends felt like themselves more than ever.
Sprague’s friend died from complications with pneumocystis pneumonia from HIV, 10 years after they first came out to each other. In 1995, Sprague and her partner hosted their first drag show with local performers in celebration of David’s life.
Now, for the past 25 years of producing drag shows for the community, Sprague said the message has largely stayed the same.
“We have always pushed the prevention message to our LGBTQA youth — condoms, condoms, safety, condoms,” Sprague said.
But more than promoting safe sex and disease prevention, Sprague wants the community to know that the Tabikat Productions family is open to all.
“Right now, even if you are on the outs with your family, if you’ve been disowned and you’re not feeling worthy of love, you are,” Sprague said. “You have a family here.”
Faye, a young drag performer with Tabikat Productions, said the drag community has made a large impact on the LGBTQA community over the years. Drag performance, Faye said, helps LGBTQA people express themselves.
“Something that I have learned that is so important from drag is living truthfully,” Faye said. “The family that I have made by doing drag, not only in the drag community, but within the LGBTQA community has been so amazing.”
Roderick, Courtesy Nicole Moeckli
Roderick, a Tabikat drag king, said performing in Moscow’s drag community gives people the chance to be themselves in a familial, community-based setting. Offering encouragement, advice and a general understanding of not just drag performance, but daily life, is what makes the production company so supportive, Roderick said.
“Drag as a community gives people an opportunity to express and perform without stuffing them into a box of shoulds and should-nots,” Roderick said. “I know that without my fellow performers I wouldn’t be half the drag king I am today.”
Roderick said a performance can be just that — a performance. But, they said the feeling shared throughout a performance and the vulnerability presented by someone feeling comfortable in their own skin on stage helps to promote a sense of diverse awareness.
“Through drag and the LGBTQ community, as a whole, is that drag gives a safe place where one can feel comfortable in the skin they present,” Roderick said. “The very fact that we can express a part of ourselves and have it accepted by complete strangers is an amazing feeling.”
Faye said creative expression through drag performance helps to create a safe space.
“When it comes down to it, you are up there bearing your soul for everyone to see. It’s such an eye opener to see that you can have the courage to do what we do in front of such a large group of people,” Faye said.
Sprague said she knows that even in a seemingly quaint place like Moscow, marginalized groups can easily feel threatened or out of place. This can lead to serious health and safety issues — the very thing Sprague hopes to prevent by providing a safe space for young LGBTQ youth.
“I’ve lost queer friends to HIV. I’ve lost queer friends to suicide. I’ve lost queer friends to hate crimes,” Sprague said. “We want to give people a buffer from that. We want to create a safe envelope away from all the hurt.”
Hailey Stewart can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @Hailey_ann97