West Virginia drag show featuring performers from Pittsburgh canceled due to threats
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A drag show in West Virginia featuring performers from Pittsburgh was recently canceled by the venue due to backlash and threats.
In recent months, local drag entertainers Nicholas Capel, aka Indi Skies, and Dallas Stanley, aka Luna Sky, have taken their event business, S&S Productions, on the road.
Last month, Primanti Bros. in Wheeling, West Virginia, booked the duo for a closed, ticketed all-age drag brunch.
"The attention we got in the community was amazing because they were so excited about that big production brunch coming to town," Stanley said.
But these queens soon learned not everyone was in their court. They said despite it being a private event, they were met with threatening, hateful and derogatory comments after word spread about the performance online
Primanti Bros. also apparently received similar threats and calls to its corporate office, leading to the restaurant canceling the drag brunch, according to the performers.
"It was a safety issue. It's not worth it for the safety of our patrons and for ourselves," said Capel.
"The last thing we would ever want is for anyone to get hurt on our watch or for us to get hurt on our watch. If people were to come to an event and something would ever happen, we would never be able to forgive ourselves because those people were there supporting us and wanting to have a good time," Stanley said.
The cancellation cost the entertainers more than 80 hours of show preparation. It also cost them thousands of dollars after refunding all of the nearly 250 people who bought tickets.
The performers told KDKA-TV their shows have a wide-ranging audience and are tailored to be age appropriate and can sometimes include educational and charitable components.
They said underneath all of their get up, they are two performers looking to uplift and entertain.
"Once we take the makeup off, we're human beings. We're someone's brothers, sons, best friend and we're each other's partners as well," Stanley said.
Capel told KDKA-TV, "The scariest thing for me in this is the potential for it to happen again or for it to elevate."
The duo has made the decision to hire security for drag shows moving forward. They both hope critics will take the time to educate themselves about the art of drag performance.
The two also said they encourage supporters and allies to appeal to their elected officials to advocate for more protections for those who perform drag.
