Aurora Pride Host Profile: Dixie Krystals

The Voice, The Performer, The Persona

Who is Dixie Krystals, and what is she all about?
Dixie Krystals is your sweet, Southern gal who loves to sing show tunes and make people happy. Dixie is all about comedy-camp, live vocals and a little bit of glamour. 

What are you looking forward to the most about hosting Aurora Pride?
I am really looking forward to seeing people that live in the city where I reside and show them how to celebrate in style. One of the great highlights for hosting is that I get to showcase entertainers from across Denver that I have worked with very closely over the years. 

What does Pride mean to you?
Pride is much more than a celebration or a party. It is really more about giving back to the community and educating folks on how to make a difference. We truly cannot celebrate Pride until every, single person from our community is recognized for the contributions that they have made in history for LGBTQ rights. 

When and how did you first start doing drag, and what made you want to pursue it more?
I started back in the late 90s, and it truly came out of being able to get into the night clubs for free on a Disney salary. Once I was bit by the sassy bug of drag and the performance art piece of it, that is what really drew me to pursue it even further. Being a trained actor and singer, it was a natural fit for me because I could use the skills that I learned for the stage and now apply them to some sequined corset and a wig. When I saw my very first drag show in Orlando, it became one of those moments where so many people were not just excited to see the drag queen, but also laughing. When there was interaction, the money started flying. That is the moment I had visions of glitter instead of sugarplums dancing in my head. 

What can audiences expect from a Dixie Krystals performance?
I always try and select music that is not popular because people need to know that there is more out there than top 40 hits. I like to do Dolly Parton, Bette Midler, 80s icons, Broadway, and of course, I like to sing live. The interesting thing about Colorado is, a lot of people don’t get “live singing,” which needs to change because it is much harder to do that than learn lyrics to a lip-sync song. 

What is your favorite part about drag?
One of my favorite parts right now is being able to use my platform to raise up other voices in the community and help organizations raise funds so that they can continue their missions to serve our LGBTQ community. 

What are some of your interests outside of drag?
I love to garden, sing, podcast, and travel. Within my industry of entertainment, I am able to travel very often, and that is one of the highlights of my year when I can do that. 

What kind of message do you hope to send with your drag?
Acceptance, love, understanding, and willingness to be open-minded to other ideologies. There is not a one-size-fits-all drag entertainer, and that is OK. We are simply here to entertain while getting a message across. 

Where do you primarily perform at in the Denver area?
My home bar is The Triangle, and I also perform at Hamburger Mary’s, Clocktower Cabaret, Park Tavern, and various other private entities. I also travel to New York City frequently to perform. 

How would you say drag is constantly changing?
It is great to see how much the community of drag is always ever-changing because there are new things, new fads, and new styles that get invented, or are brought to light, every month. Change is always needed within any art form, and drag is no different. It is great to see all of the different styles that are incorporated into each, individual act. Unfortunately, we live in a world where everyone is infatuated with Drag Race, and that skews their idea of what actual drag is. There are more styles of drag out there and people need to be introduced to them. One of the things that I always finish every show with is, ‘If you cannot name 10 local drag artists but you are able to name 10 Drag Race artists, then you are not a true drag fan.’