Nowadays, drag queens have taken up a slightly different role, but their roots are still in the theatrics. Who knew Shakespeare would lead to such a great party? Male actors would portray female roles where their long dresses would “drag” along the ground. It’s changing, but it’s growing,” Paul Dye, owner of The Cabaret bar on Jefferson Street, said, and in the past few years, he’s seen that change happen.ĭrag queens can trace their origins back to Shakespearean times, when female actors were not allowed to perform on stage. “Other people contact us here because it’s growing. The truth is, nothing’s going out of style. Without a central location for everyone to flock to, it seemed drag was going out of style.
Nowadays, the drag scene in Pensacola feels a little scattered.
The entertainers who put on the best parties in town? They were the drag queens that ruled the stage. Then, three years ago, the bar closed its doors for good and the roar of the shows faded away. Inside, a stage rose up over the crowd, entertainers would host some of the most extravagant shows you could see in Pensacola. It was a bar that took up “the entire block” and was a popular destination for anyone and everyone looking to have a good time. Once upon a time, one of the best parties in town was held in a huge white building on Wright Street.
