The Brown & White

Spectrum, a LGBTQIA group providing educational opportunities about gender, is presenting its annual "Illusions" drag show Thursday, April 3 in Lamberton Hall. Spectrum is a group for LGBTQIA individuals and was formed in spring 2003. "The main purpose of the group is support and social outreach," Spectrum President Charlie Jensen, '08, said.

The club holds meetings once a week in the Rainbow Room to discuss a variety of topics and allow students to discuss their opinions.

"Illusions" was started four years ago, and the event has grown exponentially from the small show held on the third floor of the Asa Packer building.

Treasurer Rich Sypeck, '09, said, "It keeps growing each year. We anticipate 150-200 people to attend the event."

The show has expanded to include student performers, after originally comprising only professionals from Bethlehem.

Jensen and Sypeck both emphasized that performances will be done by Lehigh students. It's not a professional event being brought onto campus, Sypeck said.

Executive Board Member Shelly Harris, '09, said, "It's more fun for people to come if they know the performers."

Jensen said this component attracts students to come to the show.

"They think it's going to be funny to watch their friends in the opposite gender's clothing," he said.

Five student groups plan to perform acts ranging from Disney's, "A Whole New World" to "Lady Marmalade." Nine students plan to perform.

"Everyone sings and dances in front of their own mirror," Sypeck said, "so why not do it on stage?"

"We want it to be a positive experience and open up the Lehigh community to something it may not be familiar with," said Secretary Chelsea Crisafulli, '09.

They wish to show the audience that gender norms can be broken.

"One of the elements put out there in the community is that gender is male and female, but it is more fluid than that-it's a spectrum," Sypeck said.

Jensen said the event's intentions are two-fold: to be fun, and to be educational.

"We will be showing a short documentary about some of the questions people have asked drag performers in the past: 'Confessions of a Drag Queen,' so that audience members can get an insider's view of what it's like to be a drag queen or king," Sypeck said.

The show is meant to give the performers an opportunity to learn something about themselves while they are educating the audience as well.

"So that's what it feels like to not have boobs for a day," Harris said. "It's definitely something I've learned from."

Harris has performed in the past.

Though currently only one professional is booked for the show, a drag king, the group would ideally like to find a queen as well, Crisafulli said. However, Spectrum has learned from the past to be careful in their selections of performers.

Last year, a family of drag kings acted out violence during their performance.

"This is not something that Spectrum promotes at all," Harris said.

She said she wants to assure audience members that the violence was unexpected and will not happen again. This year, professional performers are being held to a contract to assure a clean, albeit promiscuous, show, Harris said.

"Illusions" is free to everyone. However, all donations go to Turning Point, a continuation of the Vagina Monologues' fundraiser, Crisafulli said.

Turning Point is a local organization that helps victims of sexual and physical abuse and their children.

"Tipping is basically a way of showing the performer you enjoyed their performance," Crisafulli said. "It encourages interaction between the audience and the performers," Sypeck said, which is a key element of the show.

Spectrum plans to keep the audience engaged in other ways as well.

"On top of expecting a lot of people to come, we're doing audience participation for voting best dressed and best performance," Crisafulli said.

In addition to tips, they're going to be selling t-shirts for $10.

"They're really cool," Sypeck said.

Shirt sales will also benefit Turning Point.

The group expects the show to be successful.

"If you haven't seen a drag show, I'd really think about attending this one," Jensen said. "If you haven't seen a drag show, it's definitely going to be an experience."

Olivia Crupi, '11, who attended the planning meeting, said she cannot wait to see the drag show because she's never been to one before and is excited to see other students in the performance.

"It's going to be the event of the year," Crupi said.