Comedy drag queens who sing live! And sing well! What!

Ogunquit in the summer is a tourist hotspot and a snag in Route 1 traffic. Year-round though, it’s Gay Maine with rainbow flags a-flying, and Maine Street is a staple gay bar in downtown. Dueling Drag Divas is a reoccurring show at Maine Street where queens Chi Chi Rone and Jo Anna battle for audience affection and admiration. After a full day of beaching in both Wells and Ogunquit, Aisha, Ian, Alex, and I went to the show, snagging tickets online just a couple hours prior. We’re lucky we did – it was a full house!

The Divas show room consists of a stage with a DJ and a piano, and rows folding chairs. Like most of Ogunquit, we were on the younger side of the audience demographics. Majority were 40+ and straight-seeming.   

Some special tables were reserved for birthday parties (including one identical twin birthday party). Chi Chi and Jo Anna gave six (six!) rounds of drag performances, after which we each cheered for who we thought gave the best show, and a chosen audience member kept a loose score. Each round had a theme, and most of them female celebrity impersonations. Cher, Dolly Parton, Janis Joplin, Tina Turner, Bette Midler, Lady Gaga, Mama Cass, and Amy Winehouse were just some of the celebrities they impersonated. Part comedy, part actually-great-singing.

 In classic drag show fashion, they engaged the audience and brought some folks on stage at various points in the show (including the identical twins who were… very identical). One guy took his shirt off a couple times. Ian got his face squished into some fake boobs. You know the drill. They also did an excellent job fielding a cringingly drunk lady who kept trying to jump the stage. Come on drunk ladies, get it together.

In the end, Jo Anna won, though it was a close call. Both were really great. To close out the show, they did a tribute to Judy Garland.