The title character, as performed by a white woman in blackface, became a symbol of defiance for the gay subculture and was simultaneously held up as a symbol of supposedly immoral black women. Among the performances discussed are David Belasco’s controversial production of Edward Sheldon and Charles MacArthur’s Lulu Belle (1926), with its raucous, libidinous view of Harlem.

Many of the plays and performances explored here, central to the cultural debates of their time, had been previously overlooked by theater historians. Race leaders, preachers, and theater critics spoke out against these performances that threatened to undermine social and political progress, but to no avail: mainstream audiences could not get enough of the riotous entertainment. Blues-singing lesbians, popularly known as “bulldaggers,” performed bawdy songs cross-dressing men vied for the top prizes in lavish drag balls and black and white women flaunted their sexuality in scandalous melodramas and musical revues. On Broadway stages, in Harlem nightclubs and dance halls, and within private homes sponsoring rent parties, African American performers of the 1920s and early 1930s teased the limits of white middle-class morality. Published by University of Michigan Press, 2011īulldaggers, Pansies, and Chocolate Babies shines the spotlight on historically neglected plays and performances that challenged early twentieth-century notions of the stratification of race, gender, class, and sexual orientation. Nothing will go undocumented in this must-have documentation of all things drag.īulldaggers, Pansies, and Chocolate Babies Vibrant illustrations enhance the rich history from Kabuki theatre to Shakespearean, the revolutionary Stonewall riots to the still thriving New York ballroom scene.

In this extensive work, Jake Hall delves deep into the ancient beginnings of drag, to present day and beyond. Immerse yourself in the rich history of drag in this lusciously illustrated guide, brimming with dazzling colors and fabulous facts, all held together with a unique Swiss binding that lets each spread lay flat so that you can experience this book in all its trailblazing glory! The history of drag has been formed by many intersections: fashion, theatre, sexuality and politics–all coming together to create the show stopping entertainment millions witness today. By Jake Hall, Sofie Birkin, Helen Li, Jasjyot Singh Hansīefore RuPaul’s Drag Race propelled the cultural phenomenon into the global spotlight, drag had been around for thousands of years.

Drag Kings by Pia Thilmann