Shiny wigs, high heels, capes and colorful lights awaited the line of students stretching out the door and down the street. Over 1,000 students and community members filled the Bell Memorial Union auditorium...

The crowd, tightly packed, mostly stands—mingling as shoulders brush and bump. The stage is small, pushed into a corner, surrounded by bright, colorful lights. Beams of purple, blue and red dance across...