For drag performer Krispy Kummings (whose real first name is Brian), her first drag show was “a trainwreck.”

“They threw me onstage with a wig and eyeliner and called it a night,” said Kummings. 

Four years after her bumpy start, Kummings beamed with confidence onstage at DePaul’s “What a Drag” drag show as a part of LGBT Awareness Month.

Hundreds of students crowded the atrium of the Student Center Wednesday, May 22, for the fourth annual drag show, which some call the highlight of spring quarter.

“I got really excited to come,” said Erin Mackey, a DePaul freshman.

Mackey, a frequent supporter of LGBT events in the city, had heard the DePaul drag show was one of the best events of the year to attend. Mackey was one of many students to fill the seats nearly a half-hour before the show started.

Travis Whisler, resident director of the Clifton-Fullerton dorm, said the drag show has attracted a larger audience each year.

“It’s a staple of spring quarter,” said Whisler.

Four years ago, Bill Mattera, who was the residential director of Corcoran Hall until November 2012, sponsored the first “What a Drag” show through the Residential Education Department. After bringing drag shows to Florida State University, the University of Connecticut and the University of Iowa, Mattera decided to start a show at DePaul, the largest Catholic university in the country.

According to Mattera, the first drag show in the Student Center received overwhelming support, with about 300-400 students in attendance. The show’s success made performers want to return and others to participate the next year. Most importantly, the show built a safe space for students to learn about drag and the LGBT community, said Mattera.

Matthew von Nida, vice president of the LGBTQA service work and activist group Act Out, calls drag shows a “performance art.” Often, according to von Nida, there are misconceptions about drag performances.

“People think of offensive terms like transvestite,” said von Nida.

Members of Act Out passed out small flyers throughout the audience explaining the difference between terms like trans, transvestite and transgender.

According to the handout, transgender is “a term for people whose gender identity, expression or behavior is different from those typically associated with their assigned sex at birth. 

Transvestite, on the other hand, describes a person who dresses as the opposite sex. The handout highlights, however, that the term “transvestite” is not politically correct and is considered “highly offensive.”

“This is the perfect time to get information out to students,” said von Nida.

“I love a good drag show,” said Matt Bevenour, DePaul sophomore marketing major, but he predicts anyone who has never seen a drag show will “be shocked.”

“People will hate it or love it,” said Bevenour.

Rick Moreci, director of housing, has worked with DePaul for the past 13 years and said the first-ever drag show was run by students in the cafeteria of the Stewart building before the Student Center at 2250 N. Sheffield was built.

During that time, the LGBT awareness events lasted only for a week. The show was well-received, but some students were shocked, said Moreci. 

“Some people got uncomfortable and left,” said Moreci. “It was a different time.”

Thirteen years later, hundreds clapped in time to Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” and waved dollar bills at performers near the edge of the stage.

Rachel Oyelola, president of Act Out, said watching the audience’s reaction to the show is “really fun.” Students are scared, shocked and excited.

“(DePaul) is a really safe place for LGBT,” said Oyelola. 

Performer Juan Carlos Delgado, also known as Kayla Polanco, agrees.

“DePaul students and staff are awesome, welcoming and inclusive,” said Delgado.

Delgado began performing at 18 after dressing in drag at a Halloween party. He continues to gig at clubs and feels it was “a natural progression” for his dancing career to evolve onstage.

“What started as a joke has become its own entity,” said Sheryu, another performer.

Sheryu had danced with male groups before, but in the fall of 2002, Sheryu’s friend challenged her to a “drag war.” Although she hesitated at first, Sheryu accepted the challenge. Sheryu enjoys mounting her own productions and “(interpreting) songs in (her) own aesthetic.”

After the performance, Sheryu said DePaul was a “fantastic” crowd to showcase her craft to.