Drag kings and queens of Wichita take the stage at Fantasy

Loud and proud entertainment, that’s what goes down at Fantasy every week.

Damian Brown is a Wichita State alumnus, with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts. When he wasn’t getting the roles he wanted in stage plays working at theatres in town, he made his own role.

“[Drag] has always been a part of what I consider theatre, an art form that may or may not be respected or understood,” he said.

Thus the persona Brown Sugar was born, and she took to the stage as the host of the Brown Sugar Show.

For the show, drag queens and kings prepare a song and dance routine to perform in front of an audience. Performances can be anything from rowdy to sensual, and the audience eagerly cheers on a good show.

In addition to its dance area, Fantasy, 3201 S. Hillside, also features a bar, billiards, an outdoor deck, pool, volleyball and another bar for older visitors.

Butler Community College student April Richardson likes to come out to see the shows with her friends. The drag queens are especially entertaining, she said.

“They’re very flamboyant and very happy and like, ‘Hey girl!’ They’re very out there and fun to talk to,” Richardson said.

The club has a welcoming atmosphere. While considered a gay club, anybody is welcome.

“Gay, straight, black, white, Latinos and everyone in between,” Brown said. “I think that we have seen all kinds of representations of gender, and I think that the more society evolves, the more those genders are beginning to blend together.”

Every Thursday night at 9 p.m. is an open mic show. Participants can perform in any genre or style, and the cash prize is awarded by audience selection.

“We always suggest that you bring your ‘A’ game, because you never know what kind of crowd you’re going to get,” Brown said.

The Brown Sugar Show starts at 11 p.m. When the show is over, the dance floor quickly fills with people, and club music begins to beat away. After 10 p.m., cover charges are $6 for patrons aged 18-20, $3 for 21 and up.

“It’s a great way to escape from your day-to-day routine life, because truly, every time when they come, whether gay, straight, black or white, we all put on drag,” Brown said. “We’re all in drag, unless you’re naked.”