![\"close-up](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Jellika-Boom-Credit-Erika-Wagner.jpeg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJellika Boom is a prolific performer and producer of drag events across South Florida.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJellika Boom is a prolific performer and producer of drag events across South Florida.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Photo by Erika Wagner<\/p>\n
South Florida is no stranger to fierce drag entertainers, but recently, particularly after the closure of vital queer spaces<\/a> like Gramps<\/a> in Wynwood<\/a> and Spanish Marie\u2019s<\/a> Beer Garden in Kendall, local drag venues have dwindled, a loss that is deeply felt in a region long known for fostering the art form.<\/p>\n As a drag queen who\u2019s performed in Miami, Miami Beach, Kendall, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm for six years, I know there are many reasons for the shrinking number of host spaces in South Florida.<\/p>\n When drag nights get cut, performers hear a familiar refrain from venues: \u201cThings just didn\u2019t work out.\u201d But as a performer, I know that too often partnerships with venues flop because spaces fail to take the necessary and proper steps to grow and uplift their shows and talent.<\/p>\n From an outsider\u2019s perspective, it might seem that drag divas are asking for too much, but, in my experience, it\u2019s often the venues themselves that are doing too little. As a series producer, for example, I\u2019ve been told that asking for a private area to change or an extra $25 in the show budget to pay for a stagehand was over the top. But for a drag show or recurring series to be successful and long-lasting, venues need to invest in their entertainers and treat them with the respect they deserve \u2014 collaboration requires equal cooperation from performers and host venues.<\/p>\n Sign up for the This Week\u2019s Top Stories newsletter to get the latest stories delivered to your inbox<\/p>\n THANK YOU!<\/p>\n You’re all set.<\/p>\n CLOSE\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n For starters, promotion is crucial for any event, but especially for a drag performance. This art form is mainstream now \u2014 if people know about a drag night, they will show up. But these days, host spaces expect performers to do the bulk of the marketing, while the venue itself might post about the event once, twice, or maybe three times if they\u2019re feeling generous. The math doesn\u2019t add up. Venues have a healthy following of their own, whether on social media or through the community of regulars they foster, so letting customers know about upcoming shows (while performers promote to their own audiences) only maximizes reach.<\/p>\n Collaborating on content is vital. Making the flyer, making reels, tracking RSVPs \u2014 all while planning stunning looks and a stellar show \u2014 is a lot of work to fall on the shoulders of one sole drag queen. When venues don\u2019t contribute, complaints of low attendance and lost revenue ring hollow.<\/p>\n Sadly, this is a problem so many drag producers face: Venues fail to take accountability for weak promotion on their end. I\u2019ve heard, \u201cThe numbers just weren\u2019t right,\u201d too many times, but the numbers are always right when promotion is collaborative.<\/p>\n Getting from flyers to showtime is hard enough, but once we get into a venue, the facilities can leave much to be desired. You\u2019d be surprised at some of the places where drag entertainers are asked to get dressed. I\u2019ve changed inside a broom closet, a narrow food pantry, and even in a bathroom used by customers who were there to see me perform. The worst was when I had to change with my fellow performers in a tent outside in the dirt \u2014 and the sprinklers went off. Thousands of dollars\u2019 worth of wigs and custom garments (with feathers!) were nearly ruined. Worse yet was the feeling that we\u2019d been treated as less than any other artist worthy of respect for our existence and talent.<\/p>\n Drag performers are crafty and resourceful; we don\u2019t need a warehouse with vanities and perfect lighting to impress. But a decent-sized private space where we can keep ourselves and our belongings safe goes a long way.<\/p>\n It\u2019s Business 101: To see a profit, you must invest. Paid promotional ads, sound equipment, and mirrors are necessary tools for these shows to be successful.<\/p>\n Another essential business tip? Pay queens fairly and on time. Though we\u2019re not on the venues\u2019 payrolls, there\u2019s no excuse for professional entertainers to be paid months after a show.<\/p>\n Having to hound venues for payment is bad enough, but it\u2019s especially disrespectful when venues low-ball performers in the first place. Entertainers and DJs are offered scraps to make magic happen \u2014 putting on a fierce drag show with four queens and a DJ requires more than $300 (try doubling that). Optimizing venue conditions and paying performers a fair wage (in a timely manner) will result in great shows that attract repeat customers and, in turn, deliver a return on investment.<\/p>\n Even when these conditions are met, a drag series \u2014 and the scene overall \u2014 needs time to grow. Many venues, especially in South Florida, expect to hit the jackpot in sales and attendance from the start. When they don\u2019t get the numbers they want quickly, they cancel shows after the first run. Performers need time to cultivate an audience, improve the show, and find their groove. Rome wasn\u2019t built in a day, honey, so why should a drag show be?<\/p>\n I\u2019m an optimist at heart, and I think if these venues take the time and energy to figure out how to improve on their end as they implement drag programming, South Florida can truly be a mecca of the craft once again, one where everyone \u2014 performers, hosts, and audiences \u2014 wins.<\/p>\n A successful drag show needs to be a well-oiled machine, because if one part messes up, it can trigger a domino effect that causes everything to fall apart. We have the building blocks to create a scene that better serves its drag entertainers, and that\u2019s essential to keeping our local queer community thriving.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Jellika Boom is a prolific performer and producer of drag events across South Florida. 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