SJUPride and Hawk Hill Productions co-hosted their ninth annual Drag Show April 10 in The Perch. About 150 attendees cheered and sang along with the queens during the performances. 

The show’s theme was “Keep Calm and Drag On,” a reference to the “2026 is the new 2016” trend. The show featured several performers, including Philadelphia native Mz. Peaches, Jolene Cuisine, Axel Andrews, Denali — who was a contestant on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season 13 and “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” Season 10 — and Taylor Cromer ’24, who performed using her stage name, Jill T. Pleasure.

Alayna Cebollero ’28, SJUPride social chair, said co-hosting the show reflected SJUPride’s mission of inclusivity while providing entertainment.   

“I feel like the drag community and the drag show has allowed us to … bring communities together no matter who they were, no matter what their sexuality is, and allow people to have a great time, all together,” Cebollero said.

Cebollero, who helped organize the event, said drag encourages authenticity, encouraging people to feel comfortable being themselves.

“The drag show is definitely a part of [bringing] the LGBTQ community together and knowing that St. Joe’s, just because it is a Catholic school, is a Jesuit school, that we still support those kind of things,” Cebollero said. “It can also be, in a way, comforting for people who have been struggling to find their identity and also just to spread awareness of the drag queens themselves.” 

Kate Viveiros ’26 has attended the annual drag show several times in previous years and said they were looking forward to watching their friend, Jill T. Pleasure, perform on stage this year. 

“It’s really meaningful to me to see someone I know perform and express themselves in the way that they want to,” Viveiros said. 

Patrick Branley ’27, SJUPride secretary and drag show co-chair, said the committee prepared for the show by making a list of performers, such as contestants from RuPaul’s Drag Race. Students voted for their favorite performers, who were then invited to Hawk Hill.  

“What I want audiences to remember about tonight is that St. Joe’s loves drag, and St. Joe’s supports the LGBTQIA+ community,” Branley said. “The drag show is nothing but a celebration of love and joy and a grand old time with our awesome community here.”  

HHP and SJUPride donated all merchandise proceeds from the night to Project HOME, a non-profit that provides services to people experiencing homelessness. Project HOME was co-founded by St. Joe’s alum Sister Mary Scullion ’76 and Joan McConnon, H ’24 in 1989. 

Project HOME’s Gloria Casarez Residence, named after Gloria Casarez, the late Philadelphia-based LGBTQ rights activist, provides LGBTQ-friendly housing.

Lydia Paine ’26, an attendee of the show, said she came to support the LGBTQ community and reinforce the idea that drag is an art form in and of itself.

“It’s really important to show up to events like this, especially in the current political climate,” Paine said. “It’s really important to show up in this environment where gay rights are constantly under persecution.”