Spectrum hosted their annual charity fundraising event, “What-A-Drag," where individuals and groups come to perform and raise money for LGBTQ+ organizations.
Spectrum Director of Social Affairs Dylan Clark said What-A-Drag has gone beyond a charity event and become “a major opportunity for those interested to see how people defy gender concepts themselves by performing in drag.”
“What-A-Drag! features people coming, often extravagantly, as the character opposite of their gender identity," Clark said.
“We’re proud to consistently have newcomers to drag onstage alongside professionals from Auburn and around the state.”
Clark said there's a variety of talent at the fundraiser.
“They sing, dance and lip sync to songs of their choice in a variety of styles. whether it’s fast-paced and flashy, lighthearted and silly or artistic and mesmerizing," Clark said.
Planning for this year’s event began in the beginning of January, Clark said.
A committee of fourteen volunteers formed at the start of February and proceeded to work on putting together this year’s event.
Members of Spectrum voted to donate all of this year’s proceeds to Magic City Acceptance Center, a Birmingham organization for LGBTQ+ youth that coordinates a variety of programs and awareness campaigns.
The Magic City Acceptance Center is an affiliate program of Birmingham Aids Outreach that provides services for gender, sexual and romantic minorities of Alabama for over 30 years.
Spectrum Director of Event Planning Traven Le’Nard said the organization wanted to do something different this year by giving the show a theme: “Cirque du Spectre,"or the Circus of Spectrum.
“Since giving it a theme, our volunteers have overhauled What-A-Drag! 2017 into a fully fantastic circus that we can’t wait for everyone to see,” Clark said. “Spectrum hopes to raise upward of $1,500 for MCAC through what is looking to be our most exciting show yet."
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