Chico drag queens throw most glamourous birthday party of the year
A drag queen waves to the audience. Photo credit: Hana Beaty
Performers and party-goers filled the El Rey Theater Friday night to celebrate Coco, a local drag queen’s, birthday.
The show, called “Coco Wonderland” started slowly as DJs took the stage to perform their sets. The night quickly livened as queens took the stage to lip sync and dance their hearts out.
The first performer was electric and fierce, donning a black lace leotard and dancing to “On a Roll” by Miley Cyrus. This sensual track set the mood for the rest of the night. Throughout the performance, she strutted across the stage and made sure her bright red heels flashed across the room.
When she finished her set, the audience’s enthusiasm heightened in anticipation of who would perform next. The next few drag queens that graced the stage played on the tropes of school girls, divas and other fun, fierce characters.
An audience favorite was a performance delivered by a tattooed brunette dressed as a nun, wearing nothing but black lingerie and a headpiece. She twerked her way across the stage and delivered an electric performance. Her ecstatic energy and expressions kept the crowd entranced, knowing that she was enjoying her performance just as much as everyone else.
The last performance of the night was delivered by Coco herself, dancing to Todrick Hall’s “Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels.” Coco was dressed in knee-high platforms, a red leotard and black angel wings, that bounced to the beat of the song with every move of her hips.
After her passionate performance, Coco’s friends joined her on stage and all of the queens twerked and grinded until a cake was brought out for Coco.
The crowd sang “Happy Birthday” as she was handed a bouquet of flowers and finger fed frosting. Overwhelmed with the support she received from friends and fans, Coco hugged and thanked everyone on stage then reassured everyone that the party wasn’t stopping there. The birthday bash carried on throughout the night and reminded everyone of just how prevalent community love and support are in Chico.
For more information on Coco and events at the El Rey, flyers can be found on their website.
Melissa Joseph can be reached at [email protected] and on twitter @melisstweetz
Jordan Tackett // Sep 27, 2019 at 12:47 pm
This was a great article! The enthusiasm of the show was reflected in the writing style of Melissa Joseph.
Although, after looking at the middle four photos of this post, Millian is the performer dancing in the black top with red lips, and not Coco.
Or, if I misread/misinterpreted these photos, please let me know.
Thanks for your dedicated reporting!