There’s “RuPaul’s Drag Race” on TV, and then there’s “Adrienne’s Holiday Draguation,” which aims to benefit Solano County Theater programs on Saturday night in Fairfield.
Led by Antonio Lee, a Vallejo native raised in Fairfield, the festive theatrical event promises a sizable lineup of award-wining drag performers and hosts, some of whom have worked with Netflix, RuPaul and Keke Palmer. Besides Lee, aka Adrienne LaCielo, the performer lineup includes Amoura Teese (co-hostess), Iris Omega Envy, Unieke Moore, Rose Rowzay, and six others.
The show, inspired by Lee’s graduation this year from the University of California, Irvine, is a one-night-only production and starts at 7 p.m. in the Downtown Theatre, 1035 Texas St.
It’s unclear if Santa Claus (or a version of him) will appear, but “Adrienne’s Holiday Draguation” is the second drag event Lee has produced in Fairfield. The first was in 2022 and it sold out.
In an email to The Reporter, the 26-year-old Lee said the theme of the 2025 show “is more poignant because the venue is at risk of being shut down by the city. The event also features raffles, community resources — and, no surprise, “plenty of sparkle,” according to advance publicity.
As more arts programs get cut, the city does not seem to have any urgency in preserving the Downtown Theatre. Since the 2022 event, Lee said he has prouduced multiple events during the following three years, which include his time at UC Irvine, from which he graduated with honors.
“I currently work full-time as a performer and event producer,” he said, adding, “This fall, I had a drag tour up and down California after returning from a summer choral tour with the UC Irvine Chamber singers. We’ve sung in Ireland, Carnegie Hall, and most recently we had the honor to perform on tour in Portugal.”
For his most recent job, Lee, who currently lives in Los Angeles but frequently returns to Fairfield to visit family and friends, worked as a peer educator and mentor for marginalized transfer students at UC Irvine through the Umoja Program at the Student Outreach and Retention Center.
“We produced events like the inaugural Hip Hop Culture Conference, an event I spearheaded which brought world-famous leaders in hip-hop and pop culture like Fairfield native Richy Jackson, Rosero McCoy, Michele Soulchild, Storm DeBarge, and more to UC Irvine,” he said in the email.
They are entertainers who have worked with such luminaries as Kendrick Lamar, former first lady Michelle Obama, Beyoncé, Toni Braxton, Netflix, Disney, Missy Elliott, “and even pop stars like Lady Gaga,” noted Lee.
“The conference had a similar mission to Adrienne’s Draguation, in which we provided a safe space for people to connect, learn, experience, and be a part of hip-hop culture in real time,” Lee said. “My events are centered around educating and entertaining people while creating unique experiences.”
As for who will benefit from the performance, Lee said the event and raffles will raise money for local theater programs, among them the American Canyon Theatre Arts and the Downtown Theatre.
An American Canyon business, Seams When Pigs Fly, also will join the effort to raise money for local theater arts groups, offering cast T-shirt for sale and promoting and sponsoring a portion of the American Canyon Theatre Arts production Wish List by purchasing the items they need. The supplies will be delivered directly to the school.
Antonio Lee, aka Adrienne LaCielo, headlines a fundraiser for Solano County theater programs, “Adrienne’s Holiday Draguation,” featuring Amoura Teese and several other drag performers in what Lee said will include high-energy dancing, singing and more. (Contributed photo — Antonio Lee)
Once the lights go down at 7 p.m., the audience can expect “an amazing night full of love and holiday cheer,” said Lee, adding, “There will be high-energy dancing, holiday-themed performances, glamorous outfits, some live singing, and more.”
The show, recommended for a PG-13 audience, he said, also will spotlight local businesses and organizations like Solano Pride Center, which will be onsite with a resource table.
Lee said the production’s cast members represent “the diversity of the Solano community.”
“Now, more than ever, we need community support for live theater and marginalized people,” he added. “People can expect to see and hear messages of love, support, and community at our show.”
IF YOU GO
What: Adrienne’s Holiday Draguation
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Downtown Theatre, 1035 Texas St., Fairfield
Tickets: $15 general and $30 for an onstage seating experience to meet the queens and enjoy appetizers and refreshments before the show.
Online: https://ci.ovationtix.com/36251/production/1254357?performanceId=11706779