Going from studying and styling fashion in New York City to hosting P Town’s Monday Night Fever drag show may seem like a big change for many. But, for Monday’s newest host, Kaydence McQueen, it’s a dream come true.
Growing up in Altoona, Pennsylvania, and then moving out to New York City for school was the kickoff to becoming who Kaydence McQueen is today. A trans woman, drag queen, and staple in the queer community, the move gave her the chance to explore the kind of queer visibility that you never see in Altoona.
“I was studying fashion at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) and I was working in the fashion industry as a stylist for the VMAs, Vogue America, Vogue Italia, Kim Petras, Julia Fox, all those girls,” she says. “When I was going to school there, I really got immersed in the drag scene in New York City. I would watch people like Izzy Uncut and Xunami Muse. I was always so inspired by them and wanted to get into drag. I grew up doing theater, so I figured working in fashion, along with my theater career, would come perfectly together for drag.”
So, back to Pittsburgh Kaydence came, and little did she know at the time that it would open up rows of doors for her drag career. Don’t be fooled by her time in New York City; Pittsburgh is her home.
“I have New York sensibilities, but I definitely would consider myself a Pittsburgh girl at the end of the day,” Kaydence explains. “This is where I pounded the pavement and discovered myself and grew and rose to the point that I’m at today.”
At what point is she at today? Kaydence is the first trans woman to host the Monday night drag slot at P Town. Her role is one she takes very seriously, always being grateful and forever looking to grow strength and support for the trans community, especially.
“There were not a lot of black trans women for me to look up to, specifically participating in the drag scene,” she says. “So I never really knew if it was a possibility for me to be in this kind of a position. I knew that I wanted to work hard, to make something of myself, and to make drag into a viable career for me. But the fact that just four years after starting drag, I get to lead one of the longest-running weekly shows in Pittsburgh does mean so much to me. Even the fact that I get to make it my own and get the original creator’s blessings.”
- Advertisement -
Drag Mondays at PTown actually began over a decade ago as Manic Monday in August 2013. A group of legendary performers, including Sonia May-Bottom, Blade Mathews, Georgia Bea Cummings, Malibu Peruu, and Jackson Knight, hosted their first show that year as a benefit for Planned Parenthood, opening a door for relationships between drag and philanthropy in the area. Blade and Sonia not only provided a welcoming space to Kaydence, but they also were part of those who paved the path for the queer community in Pittsburgh today, leading to Kaydence’s own success. It’s something she hopes to do for the following generations.
“I’m just really grateful to be in this position, and I definitely do not take it lightly,” Kaydence says. “I just hope that it could be a vessel for good change and the progression of our drag scene forward.”
Monday Night Fever at P Town is a variety showcase of all the drag talent the city has to offer. No matter if you’re just starting, an experienced veteran, or simply curious, there is a place for you. The best part about Monday nights is that they become sort of a ritual for audiences. Once you go in and experience the uninhibited fun, you won’t look back.
“I think my favorite thing is it’s more of an intimate crowd,” she says. “I love performing in front of 2,000 people at a concert venue, but Mondays have a very particular and dedicated crowd. They come back every single week to see us, and we’ve really developed a real relationship with people through the show.”
Another special part of Monday Night Fever is Drag Roulette. At the end of the show, any audience member can request a song for a performer to lip-sync, at a fee, of course. Not only does this get audiences more involved in the show, but it’s a fun challenge for all the drag performers.
“Drag Roulette is one of the things I learned about in New York City, which I thought was commonplace at every drag show,” Kaydence explains. “Coming to Pittsburgh, I missed that, so getting to do Drag Roulette in our own Pittsburgh way is one of my favorite things to do in drag, period.”
At the end of the day, Kaydence’s mission as the new Monday Night Fever host is to spread love and community in a way that makes everyone feel welcome. She wants to give people like her (and very different from her) the opportunity to have clear accessibility to drag, even when it’s being challenged by the government.
“I just really want for this show to reflect the people that are in this community and showcase every type of person, every type of performer, every color, every body,” she says. “I want to make everybody feel like they have a place at the show and that they feel welcome, feel excited, and they want to come experience it.”
Especially in today’s climate, Monday Night Fever is as important as ever, not only for continuing the art of drag but also for upholding the stance of the queer community. In a world where top leaders try to tear down people of queer identity, we can still gather, celebrate, and hold strength in knowing we’re not alone.
“Queer joy is one of the most rebellious things we can do right now,” Kaydence says. “This administration wants to erase us; they want to erase our joy. They want us to feel uncomfortable and to believe we don’t belong or that we’re in the wrong. So I think coming together and just having fun, expressing ourselves the way we want to, it’s more important now than ever. The fact that I can be a small part of that change or open the door for somebody to come in and have a space where they can be themselves, feel safe, and feel free is so important to me.”