![]() Īs vaudeville became more popular, it allowed female impersonators to participate in the genre. With the United States shifting demographics, including the shift from farms to cities, Great Migration of African Americans, and an influx of immigrants, vaudeville's broad comedy and music expanded the audience from minstrelsy. While "wenches" originated in the Americas, the concept of "prima donnas" was inspired by both American and European crossdressing shows, such as performances seen in Shakespearean plays. In addition to the "wench players", minstrel shows developed the role of "prima donnas", who appeared more elegant and refined while still retaining their comedic elements. Minstrel shows eventually helped to inspire vaudeville shows in the late 1800s and early 1900s. ![]() They performed in comedic skits, dances, and "wench" songs. Originally the performers would only mock African American men, but as time went on they found it amusing to mock African American femininity as well. Minstrel shows ĭevelopment of the drag queen in the United States was influenced by the development of the blackface minstrel show. In 1896, Swann was convicted and sentenced to 10 months in jail on the false charge of "keeping a disorderly house" (running a brothel) and requested a pardon from the president for holding a drag ball. These balls were often raided by local police, some raidings even making the newspapers. In the 1880s, Swann started hosting drag balls in Washington, DC attended by other formerly enslaved men. The first person known to describe himself as "the queen of drag" was William Dorsey Swann, a former slave born in Hancock, Maryland. ![]() 19th Century Īctor Jack Brown was often mistaken to be William Dorsey Swann. Some of the most well-known examples of historical drag can be attributed to Shakespeare and his manipulation of gender on both the stage and within the characters themselves. This included the Ancient Greeks, who initiated a ban that would be propagated by the Christian movement and would therefore remain until the 17th century. It has been well-documented that women in theater has historically been the "exception rather than the rule".
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |