Sasha Velour’s “NightGowns” 2023 Residency
Over the course of six months, Sidewalkkilla was invited to take part in documenting RuPaul’s Drag Race season 9 winner Sasha Velour’s drag revue “NightGowns.” The drag show was founded in Brooklyn in 2015. From January to June of 2023 six monthly shows were held at a historic live music venue (Le) Poisson Rouge. Each installment of the show would feature three varying guest performers. Take a look at the photo and GIF highlights from the shows below.
January
With Ru Paul’s Drag Race season 15 winner Sasha Colby, The Cake Boys producer and drag king Sweaty Eddie, and Boulet Brother’s Dragula season 4 contestant La Zavaleta.
Watch the opening performance with the full cast HERE.
During the first set Sasha Colby performs to Celine Dion’s “I Surrender,“ the second set is a Beyonce medley. Watch both performances HERE.
GIF moment from Sasha Velour’s opening performance to Stevie Wonder’s “Another Star.“ Watch the full performance HERE.
Through the first performance set Sweaty Eddie’s arms grow exponentially, while during the second set, one of his arms rips through his prosthetic chest, holding his beating heart. Watch both numbers HERE.
Stage manager and Switch n’ Play drag burlesque collective member Zoe Ziegfeld is helping with the raffle that raised funds for different non-profit organizations at each show. In January, NightGowns raised $3,000 for G.L.I.T.S. (Gays & Lesbians Living In A Transgender Society) which is a grassroots organization dedicated to supporting the LGBTQIA+ community on a global scale.
Watch both of La Zavaleta’s performamnces HERE.
Zoe Ziegfeld, Miss Malice, La Zavaleta, Sasha Velour, Sasha Colby, and Sweaty Eddie.
February
With The Boulet Brothers' Dragula season 1 contestant Meatball, Mx Bushwig 20/21 Neon Calypso, and Serena Tea.
Sasha Velour’s stunning performance to Deep Purple’s “Child In Time.“ Watch it HERE.
Meatball’s viral performance as George Santos to “This is Me“ from The Greatest Showman can be viewed HERE.
See Serena Tea slay the stage to Shygirl’s “Cleo“ and Beyonce’s “Yonce”/”Partition“ HERE.
Neon Calypso’s rousing performances titled “Blue“ and “Intimacy“ can be enjoyed HERE.
March
With Drag Race season 9 runner-up Peppermint, Switch n’ Play’s Miss Malice, and Glam Awards’ Breakthrough Artist of 2022 Dev Doee. This month NightGowns raised $4,460 for Sylvia Rivera’s Place, which provides critical housing and food for LGBTQ people in NYC.
Sasha Velour performs to “A House Is Not a Home“ by Luther Vandross.
Miss Malice performs to Columbia Records’ “Secret Love.“ She explains the performance in her Instagram post: “SECRET LOVE ✨🎀 my performance of this midcentury gay Hollywood anthem at @sashavelour’s March NightGowns was an ode to queer coded Doris Day, singers like Beverly Shaw who made the song their own in gay clubs like Mona’s 440, and midcentury butches & femmes, whose stories and images I treasure as those of my own family and forerunners.“
Peppermint starts off with a live performance, then doesn’t miss a beat during Janet Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation.“
Dev Doee during her second number.
May
With Drag Race season 10 winner Aquaria, multidisciplinary artist Untitled Queen, and “director, performer, producer, voidfucker“ God Complex. This month NightGowns raised $4,375 for Princess Janae Place, "which helps place unhoused trans New Yorkers into independent housing."
Opening number from left: Untitled Queen, God Complex, Aquaria, and Sasha Velour.
Untitled Queen performing to excerpts from Derek Jarman’s film “Blue,” where the filmmaker “narrates a reflection of his losing battle with AIDS against the backdrop of a blue screen.”
Aquaria performs to Loreen’s Eurovision 2023 winning song “Tattoo.“
Moments from Sasha Velour’s performances.
Untitled Queen performs with sound artist Jess Ramsay during the second act.
God Complex disrobes during both of their acts.
June
With Dragula season 1 winner Vander Von Odd, Switch n’ Play’s K. James, and event producer and performer Chiquitita. This month NighGowns raised $4000 for Trinity Place Shelter, “a homeless shelter for LGBTQ youth in NYC.”
In the first number unassuming Sasha Velour gets attacked and disembodied by the birds she was trying to feed.
Vander Von Odd shows off her en pointe skills in the second performance.
Chiquitita (left) and K. James (right).
Sasha Velour debuts a new Bjork number.
The last NightGowns coincided with NYC Pride and Sasha Velour’s birthday. A few backstage moments after the show.
