Kinky Boots Panel: The History of Drag within the LGBTQIA+ Community

While the art of drag may seem fairly new to pop culture, drag itself has been around for hundreds of years. From Shakespearean plays, to vaudeville and today, drag is steeped within our culture.

How did Drag get to where it is today, and what is it’s relationship within to the LGBTQIA+ community? Come join us for evening of discussion about Drag and its roots in both theater and the LGBTQIA+ community.

Panelists will include:

Moderator:Penelope Torres, Paramount School of the Arts School Experience Coordinator. Penelope is also a part of the following organizations:

Human Right Campaign – Chicago
Steering Committee Member – Political Action & Community Engagement (PACE) Co-Chair

Aurora Human Relations Commission
Commissioner (appointed by Mayor Richard Irivin)

Aurora Downtown
At Large Board Member – Governance Chair

Aurora Pride
Operations Director

Panelist: Trent Stork – Kinky Boots Director and Paramount Theatre Artistic Associate and Casting Director.

Panelist: James Conley – James Conley has been a volunteer exhibit curator for the Gerber/Hart Library & Archives for over 5 years, researching and collaborating on exhibits on Midwest and national LGBTQ+ history. In addition to this work he also serves as a faculty librarian for Loyola University Chicago where he works in building diverse collections, teaching, and evolving university policies to be more inclusive. Outside of his work he’s also an activist and fine artist working in themes of queerness and radical otherness in society.