Want a fab night out? Head to one of these shows. You won’t be sorry. (Photo: iStock)
The sequins, the feathers, the music, the laughs… Is there anything better than the glitz and glamour of a drag show?
While the origin of the term “drag queen” is unclear, drag performances are becoming more and more popular due to shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race that have widened their audience and introduced them to mainstream culture.
However, not all drag shows are made the same. So Yahoo Travel has pulled together a list of the world’s most glitter-throwingly fabulous spectacles on the planet. Grab your feather boa and book your ticket, but these shows offer a wild ride.
Is that Jessica Rabbit? (Photo: Dreamgirls Revue/Facebook)
1. Dreamgirls Revue, various locations in Southern California
Home to Chad Michaels, the world’s most famous Cher impersonator, the Dreamgirls Revue has been performing at various venues throughout Southern California for over 30 years. Fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race will enjoy the weekly residencies, which feature many of the television show’s past winners, including Sharon Needles, Pandora Box, and Delta Work.
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It’s always a high-stakes evening at Drag Queen Bingo. (Photo: Hamburger Mary’s/Facebook)
2. Drag Queen Bingo, Hamburger Mary’s, West Hollywood, Calif.
“Legendary Bingo” is also known to the locals as “Drag Queen Bingo.” It’s a weekly game night that started in 1998 and now benefits local, national, and international charities. Hosted by “Bingo Boy” and his rotating roster of fabulous Drag Queen Bingo hostesses, the event has become a standing-room-only tradition that even brings out a multitude of celebrity fans.
Get ready to laugh your panties off. (Photo: Pantibar)
3. The Panti Show, PantiBar, Dublin
Panti Bar, an edgy and untraditional pub in Ireland’s capital city, Dublin, is home to one of the country’s best-loved drag queens — Panti Bliss. Along with owning this beloved establishment, Panti is the headlining act, performing once a week, on Saturdays, to an always packed house. Described as “high drama, low humor, with possible nudity,” the show is sure to be a memorable experience.
Related: Ireland Wants to Be Your Top Gay Wedding Destination
Trust us, this is better than Broadway. (Photo: Broadway Brunch/Facebook)
4. Broadway Brunch, Lips, New York City
Calling itself “The Ultimate in Drag Dining,” Lips showroom in New York has long been popular amongst locals and tourists alike. Each nightly show offers a different entertainment experience, the most popular of which is the Broadway Brunch. It takes place on Sundays with three seating times for brunch (all of which sell out every week), and guests can get loosened up on bottomless mimosas and eggs before the afternoon show.
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Meet the ladies. (Photo: Fauxgirls)
5. Fauxgirls!, Infusion Lounge, San Francisco
Thought to be San Fransisco’s longest-running drag show, Fauxgirls! has been in business since 2001. Performing monthly, the show’s stars sing, dance, and perform classic standup routines in the glamorous but intimate Infusion Lounge. Dinner, small plates, and cocktails are served to the table-seated audience during the raucous and over-the-top 90-minute show. Reservations are recommended, as this very popular show regularly sells out.
Isn’t she the spitting image of Kim Kardashian? (Photo: Tripadvisor/Cabaret Michou)
6. Cabaret Michou, Paris
With over 50 years of history, Cabaret Michou is a sparkling gem of Parisian nightlife, regularly voted one of the top 10 things to do while in the city. Enjoy fine dining and champagne in an elegantly spectacular venue while taking in the rambunctious performances from 12 to 15 different performers. More authentic that the Moulin Rouge (and more camp), Cabaret Michou will delight and entertain even if you don’t speak the native tongue.
Related: What It’s Really Like to Travel as a Gay Woman in Russia
This show is worth the trip to Bangkok. (Photo: Mambo Cabaret/Tripadvisor)
7. Mambo Cabaret, Bangkok
With a culture where being transgender is widely accepted, Thailand is home to some of the world’s most popular drag shows, known there as Ladyboy shows or cabaret. Featuring stunning performers, extravagant costumes, and internationally themed music and dance, the Mambo Cabaret in the Thai capital, Bangkok, is widely regarded as one of the best. Fun, lively, and interactive, the one-hour show will have everyone singing and clapping along.
Legendary isn’t strong enough a word to describe this performance. (The RVT/Facebook)
8. The RVT, London
This drag venue has a history of famous patrons and has become renowned for its “open to everyone” policy, meaning you will get to enjoy drinks and a show with a people of various ages, genders, sexual orientations, and ethnicities. Saturday nights involve the now famous club night called Duckie, described as the “flagship rock ’n’ roll honky tonk” featuring “men dressed as women, women dressed as cats” and something about porn puppets.
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