Q & A with Alanna Filipina: Drag is an art
Although it’s still small, the Fort Collins drag scene is slowly growing with monthly shows like Glitter Cabaret at The Whiskey and a new LGBTQ-friendly bar, R Bar and Lounge, opening in the last year. Many Fort Collins residents have no clue as to what drag culture is like with the city being so small compared to drag capitols like New York City, Chicago, and even sometimes, Denver. I messaged a local queen, Alanna Filipina, who has been in the scene four years to find out a little more about the budding drag culture in the college town.
What got you into drag and how did that evolve into being a real job versus just a hobby?
Alanna: I got into drag because I was looking for an artistic outlet, and I was given the opportunity to host a fundraiser for a nonprofit organization and from there it when to a direction where I did not expect. I was offered my own show by the bar to give a place for all the new queens who don’t get booked on a big stage because they are new and lacking experience. Drag for me is not a job but a very expensive hobby, but it has to be treated as a professional job because that’s how you get bookings is by being professional.
In your opinion, how has the drag scene evolved in Fort Collins in the past few years?
The drag scene in Fort Collins has grown since I started 4 years ago. It went from no local regular performers and having drag performers from Denver to come and put on a show once a month to having a show with local performers once a month and in multiple venues, not just in a gay bar but in straight bars as well.
Why do you think it’s important to see LGBT spaces in Fort Collins’ and other small town’s nightlife?
In my personal opinion, LGBT spaces provide safe places for everyone to be who they want to be without the feeling of being judge. The LGBT safe spaces provide a place where everyone is welcome and it helps build a community by providing a meeting place.
How does doing drag in a small city like Fort Collins compare to performing in an established scene like Denver’s?
It doesn’t make much of a difference for me. I came to perform and that I will do!
What is the most difficult part of being a drag queen and what is your favorite part?
The most difficult part of being a drag queen is that everyone thinks that I want to become a woman. They forget that I enjoy the art of drag and that what I do is my expression of my art. My favorite part of doing drag is being able to satisfy my artistic need and when I see people enjoying them self while I’m on stage.
Why are some people afraid of going to a show? What would you say to Fort Collins residents who have never been to a drag show to encourage them to check it out?
Because of the unknown. They don’t know what to expect and that kinda shies them away from going. I always encourage anyone that’s never been to a drag show to come out and see a drag show. But I always tell them to come with an open mind because not all drag queen are alike. Every performer has different things to offer. When I’m on stage, I make sure that I get to interact with my audience; I enjoy getting a reaction from them.
You can catch Alanna performing at The Whiskey every first Friday of the month. Please support your local drag performers and explore this amazing art!
