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From left to right: Katie D. Lite, Victoria Bohmore, and Andora Tetee. The trio of drag performers held a drag cabaret show at the Pendragon Theater in Saranac Lake during Pride Month 2026. Photo by David Escobar.
David EscobarThese drag queens are celebrating queer culture in the rural Adirondacks
An hour before showtime at the Pendragon Theatre in Saranac Lake, the dressing room buzzed with anticipation.
Colorful makeup palettes covered countertops. Suitcases spilled open across the floor. Wigs rested on mannequin heads, waiting to be styled. In front of brightly lit mirrors, three drag performers carefully transformed themselves for the evening ahead.
The performers were in town for a series of Pride Month events in Lake Placid and Saranac Lake designed to celebrate and educate audiences about drag culture and LGBTQ+ identity. Later that evening, they would take the stage for a cabaret-style show at Pendragon, performing for a packed audience.
Michael Collins, whose drag name is Andora Tetee, was the leadoff performer at the show. Collins, a Brooklyn-based floral designer, said he has expressed a feminine and artistic side since childhood. When he discovered drag as a teenager, his family embraced it.
“When I knew I could be a drag queen, around when I was 19, I told my grandparents, and they were like, ‘Oh, we’ll help you make your own costume,’” he said.
Today, Collins designs many of his own costumes and styles his own wigs. Before the show, he unzipped a suitcase packed with performance looks and pulled out a deep red rhinestone-covered bodysuit for an opening number inspired by “Moulin Rouge.”
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Michael Collins, whose drag name is Andora Tetee, performs inside the Pendragon Theater in Saranac Lake. Photo by David Escobar.
“I’ve always wanted my drag to look like it could go on TV or like a costumer did it for Broadway,” Collins said.
While he’s used to entertaining large audiences in metro areas like New York City, Collins said appearing in rural communities like the Adirondacks carries a different significance.
“I really just want to inspire people,” he said. “I want people just to know that gay people are out there, so if I’m the first drag queen they meet…I just hope that I put a little bit of happiness and a little bit of sparkle into their day.”
Constructing a persona
Across the room, Billie Kristopher Raymond was putting the finishing touches on a meticulously crafted face of makeup. The table in front of him was crowded with brushes, powders, foundation sticks and palettes.
“I have the entire Crayola box on my table,” he said.
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Billie Kristopher Raymond, who goes by the drag name Katie D. Lite, applies makeup before a Pride Month cabaret show at the Pendragon Theater in Saranac Lake. Photo by David Escobar.
Raymond, who performs as Katie D. Lite, grew up in Baltimore and draws inspiration from entertainers such as Beyoncé, Janet Jackson and Diana Ross. When he takes the stage, he said he approaches each performance with the same mindset.
“Every time I touch a stage, I’m thinking I’m doing a Super Bowl,” he said. “Because I want someone to enjoy it. I want them to have fun.”
Stepping into the spotlight is still relatively new for Raymond, who has been doing drag for about seven years. During that time period, the experience has transformed not only how he performs but also how he sees himself, he said.
“I think drag has given me more confidence, the ability to become very outspoken,” he said. “I think it also has given me a sense of joy, because it allows you to escape and become someone else.”
Drag in the Adirondacks
Neither Collins nor Raymond live in the Adirondacks. They made the trip to Saranac Lake at the invitation of fellow performer George Connelly, better known on stage as Victoria Bohmore.
Connelly spent years performing in Baltimore before moving to Saranac Lake during the COVID-19 pandemic. After arriving, he noticed there were few opportunities for drag performances or LGBTQ+ nightlife in the region.
While larger cities often have dedicated LGBTQ+ bars and clubs that regularly host drag performances, Connelly said opportunities in the Adirondacks are infrequent, usually tied to Pride Month or holiday-themed cabaret shows.
Connelly decided to help change that.
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George Connelly, whose drag name is Victoria Bohmore, performs a Liza Minnelli-inspired number at the Pendragon Theater in Saranac Lake. Photo by David Escobar
He began organizing drag shows at theaters, restaurants and other venues across the region, building opportunities for performers while introducing drag to audiences who might otherwise have to travel hours to see a show.
Connelly said he regularly sees audience members return after attending their first drag show.
“My drag is really about performing in rural communities,” he said. “It’s going into a community that doesn’t have a dedicated gay bar or club and making people feel welcome.”
David Escobar is a Report For America Corps Member. He reports on diversity issues in the Adirondacks through a partnership between North Country Public Radio and Adirondack Explorer.