A drag queen and an orchestra walk into Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. They all begin to play.
Thorgy Thor and the Thorchestra, co-hosted by the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and healthcare organization Trillium Health, celebrated an evening of community, comedy, and musicianship. As noted by conductor Jherrard Hardeman, the event is the venue’s first drag queen-hosted performance in over 100 years – and a sure-fire sign that they need to hold them more often.
The “Thorchestra” series is presented by none other than Mrs. Thor herself, a multi-talented drag queen and string musician known for her charisma, uniqueness, nerve, talent, and appearances on “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Coming to Rochester, Thor plucked a few friends and strings to concoct the orchestral night of a lifetime, bringing her instruments, the Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus, and special guests Phaedra Phaded, Kasha Davis, and soprano Kearstin Piper Brown to the stage.
Throughout the night, the Thorchestra soared through a broad and beautiful collection of work, ranging from Brahmn’s “Hungarian Dance No. 1” to an orchestral arrangement of Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way.” Along with playing and hosting, Thorgy tried her hand at conducting Mozart’s “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” with the help of Hardeman. Showcasing yet another talent as a vocalist, Thor called up Kasha Davis for the stage for a less than classic rendition of “Anything You Can Do,” from Broadway’s “Annie Get Your Gun.”
Of course, it’s important not to forget that the event was not only a concert but a drag show as well. Throughout the evening, Thorgy cut through the music with her many other artistic talents: a live painting in front of the audience, a juicy interview with Hardeman, and the comedy showcase of odd and slightly concerning fan messages on Thorgy’s Cameo. Of course, Thor gave the audience a chance to step in, leading chosen participants through an on-stage runway walk-off competition. Junior Sree Chatterjee, who was cheered up to the stage by a gaggle of UR students in the audience, expressed the novelty of the experience and of pushing through the nerves. “In a drag show, I’ve realized it’s helpful to just be yourself and bring a lot of energy, that’s sort of the fun of it”, they commented, noting how funny it was to have strangers come up to him after the show with compliments.
Along with UR students, many of whom attended the event from the Burgett Intercultural Center’s arrangement, the audience was packed tighter than a tuck with members of the Rochester community young and old. The aforementioned walk-off, a close battle, was won by “the youngest person in the room,” a girl gifted the drag name “Veronica,” and “someone dragged by their friends to be there”, a man whom Thorgy titled Dixie Normous. In such a grand room, it’s no shock that the ceiling for talent was limitless, and not bound by age or any lack of drag experience.
Members of RIT’s Drag Club were also in attendance, and arguably some of the fiercest dressed in the room. Senior Jay Miller (also known in drag as Randy “Biscuit” Bluhm), noted how refreshing it was to see drag outside of dance and lip-syncing, a sentiment echoed across the group.
While at the end of the day, an attendee may leave with the giddy sentiment of the performance’s extravagance, Thorgy’s show brought an abundance of meaning beyond these general takeaways.
The performance was oriented toward a wide span of the audience, but made everyone feel they had her full attention — whether that be a musician, a friend, a student, an artist, or a small young girl named “Veronica.” Thorgy’s work, and drag as a whole, can be accessible to everyone, and a bridge between artistic mediums and self-expression. However, she also made it clear that you don’t need to run away and join the Thorchestra to be a part: just let the music play.
