UVU students steal spotlight at Vonda’s Halloween Spooktacular

A celebration isn’t complete without a good old fashioned drag show. In due order, Vonda Mandrake, self-proclaimed queen of Halloween and current drag royalty, brewed up a show at City Limits Tavern Oct. 22.
An obvious high point was a first time drag performance from Tanner Montierth, a junior majoring in university studies, and Eric Mercer.
With first time drag, expectations are low. However, Montierth and Mercer, who performed as The Hierophant, both have extensive background on stage. Montierth spent three years in BYU’s music and dance theatre BFA program; Mercer has been dancing ballroom since middle school. Their meticulous choreography was executed with precision. Neither performer missed a beat when Montierth’s wig unexpectedly flew into the audience. Montierth’s’ seven consecutive pirouettes wowed the crowd, but didn’t overshadow the duo’s unmistakable chemistry.
Mercer and Montierth’s performance highlighted the best part of drag: finding strength in expressing yourself. Mercer’s character, the Hierophant, is based off a tarot card character who builds a bridge between heaven and earth. The symbolism elevates their dance to an expression open for complex interpretation.
In General, amateur drag performance seems to fall into not only the formulaic routine, (strut a little here, dance a little there, do something provocative for cheers), but also the center of emphasis perpetuated in drag culture: the often-shallow perception of feminine identity and sexuality. Mercer and Montierth’s elegant extravagance came as a refreshing change.
“[my favorite part is] like, when they take the tips and they take it in a sexual way,” said one attendee who asked to be referred to as Feminist Jesus. “If they find a creative, sexual way to take it, I’ve found that I’m really attracted to a lot of the queens.”
The spectacle of their act was not in flaunting fake boobs and lifting skirts, even though Tanner wore fake boobs and some up skirt moments happened while they danced.
Critics of drag culture often say this emphasis is demeaning by creating unattainable standards for women and making a mockery of trans women. This has been enough of an issue that drag performances were banned at Free Pride in Glasgow, Scotland.
On the flip side, world-famous drag queens such as Sharon Needles have said on the record that the over dramatization of femininity isn’t about demeaning anybody; rather, it is about honoring the strong women who have influenced their lives by creating larger than life characters.
“The atmosphere is be who you wanna be, do what you wanna do, and that just makes it so much more positive,” said spooktacular attendee Lauren Keogh.
Mercer and Montierth are an example of how to celebrate the joys of drag and performance without accidentally stepping on anybody; they had enough of the over-the-top aesthetic to own their performance as drag, with enough content to spread a unique message.