The Otter Cross Cultural Center’s sold out Werk Witch crowned a new Mx. Werk Witch and Mx. Congeniality.
This past Friday OC3, in conjunction with the Otter Student Union and the Rainbow Raft, welcomed over 270 audience members to the Otter Student Union’s Ballroom. The night celebrated local drag by inviting professional drag artists Xinistra, Helixir and Empress Astara as the night’s panel of judges. DJ and queer activist Ayumi Please returned to host. The competition this year featured five drag performers who bewitched the crowd with their charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent.
“I come from a really boring town where none of this could ever happen,” said first time Werk Witch attendant and sophomore biology student Valeria Nunez . “Coming here… I can finally express myself for who I am.”
“The reason why I love coming back is…the energy,” said fourth year business administration student Nancy Huerta. “I love the aesthetic and it’s just so entertaining.”
Werk Witch’s student lead Mariana Botello and Rainbow Raft’s Abraham Allison welcomed both in-person and virtual audiences to the evening. The event’s goal was to celebrate drag culture, history, and queer joy. Botello and Allison dedicated the event to the trans women of color who started the queer pride movement, queer indigenous communities, and the queer experience at large.
“We celebrate ourselves and the queer communities. We believe in paying homage to the trans, queer, gay, bisexual, lesbian communities that brought every one of us together and everyone in between,” said Allison.
For the first time in the event’s history, Werk Witch allowed both virtual and cash tips that would be given to performers after the show. Tip bunnies were scattered about the audience with cauldrons and would roam after every performance.
Astara warmed up audiences by performing a high-energy stunt-filled dance to “ORAL HEX (spell on you)” by bludnymph, “Head Will Roll” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs and “Abracadabra” by Lady Gaga.
Cruella Adore delivered the first competitive performance of the night, dancing to “Damanged” by Danity Kane. Adore’s heel clacking and stunt-filled routine left the room explosive with cheers.
Sonny Lawless followed up by performing a music mix of “Werewolves in London” by Warren Zevon and “Bad Things To You” by Jace Everett. Donned in a werewolf-inspired pimp outfit, Lawless’ routine built from a sultry to steaming, engaging the audience throughout their entire time on stage.
Ruthless Bader Ginsberg delivered a politically charged performance to the song “Blood” by My Chemical Romance. Under their judge’s attire, Ginsberg revealed a coat hanger with dangling red string. Anna Linna-Johnson, the person behind Ginsberg, credited her performance to alternative music and “Pagliacci”, an Italian opera which translated to “Clowns.”
“I loved that you tapped into a style of drag that doesn’t get tapped into… camp and clown,” said Xinistra.
Helixar provides a break in competitive performances by doing a routine to “Bury Me in George” by Kane Brown. By the end of their performance, Helixar rejoined the judges panel while audience members clapped, cheered and clacked away on their fans.
Last year’s Mx. Werk Witch, Ms Ivy Sonoma D Elle created their own humorous performance. Mixing “Dance” by Slayyter, “Partition” by Busta Rhymes and the Conglomerate, “212” by Azealia Banks, and “Crank” by Slayyter set against dialogue from “Euphoria” Elle created a story and fantasy that left the audience trying to guess what else she has up her sleeve. Elle invited another drag artist to fight against and perform alongside with.
“This was drag,” said Astara after Elle’s number. “You gave us the whole scene.”
Cheeky Goth closed the competitive performances with a tribute to Tim Curry’s “Sweet Transvestite” from the cult classic “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Goth shocked both judges and audience members with a mix they created themselves to “Escandalosa” by El Nick DGO. The Vogue twist to the song made the performance go from iconic to legendary. It was routine that “Tim Curry would be so proud of,” said Xinistra during the critique.
Xinistra closed the night with a performance mix to “Bloody Mary” and “Judas” both by Lady Gaga. Utilizing choreography from Gaga’s music videos, Xinistra worked the stage and the audience themselves by leaving the stage to get on eye level with on-lookers.
The title of Mx. Werk Witch 2026 went to Elle with the audience voting Goth to win Mx. Congeniality. Judges Xinistra, Helixir and Astara crowned Lawless second place and Goth third.
Botello continues to remember the core of this event stems from the sacrifices black and brown trans women made to create drag and ballroom.
“They are often the ones who build these spaces that the wider queer community loves so much, the ones that fight for us to have our rights and keep them. So whenever you’re interacting with these art forms, acknowledge that,” said Botello.
