Early existence The first known
drag balls in the United States were in Harlem in the 1920s, at the Rockland Palace. These shows featured extravagant performances of gays and lesbians impersonating the opposite sex and competing against one another in fashion shows.
Harlem drag balls were primarily made up of people of color. White people were not excluded but did not typically participate. Drag balls were social events that brought people together who were on the margins of society and they often had to meet in secret.
Jewel Box Revue Doc Benner, and Danny Brown produced the show which started in Miami, Florida, at a gay bar known as Club Jewel Box. This show would go on to set the stage for the touring drag show known as the Jewel Box Revue. The Jewel Box Revue was the longest running drag show that performed from the 1940s until the 1970s across the United States. They had at least ten specific performances in their repertoire, which was helpful for shows that ran for longer periods of time at the same place. Many of the venues they performed at were part of the "
chitlin' circuit", the
Howard Theatre (Washington, D.C.), the Baltimore-Royal Theatre,
Uptown Theatre (Philadelphia) and the
Regal Theater in Chicago. In 1959 they began performing at
The Apollo Theater in New York City and it was always a full house when they came to town. The group was started in May 2000 and had 31 members, mostly white, queer and transgender, and were a feminist collective. The camp lasted for two weeks (until August 4, 2018) and showcased famous drag performers. The events feature dance, song and comedy performances. Although typically held at LGBTQ bars and nightclubs, restaurants have also become a popular site for drag brunches. The practice is especially popular in urban centers with large gay populations, such as cities like
New York City,
Miami,
Atlanta,
Las Vegas,
Quebec, and
New Orleans. "It's fun and festive like brunch can be." Other places, such as San Antonio, Texas, have also seen a rise in gospel drag brunches. In addition to food, drinks, and the usual performances one would expect to see at a drag brunch, gospel drag brunches also feature performers in choir robes doing renditions of classic gospel songs. == Popular culture ==