Made in RI: Randy Andy’s Kingmaker Summer Workshop Recital Debuts Nine New Drag Kings

On Sunday, August 11, from 7 – 9:30pm, Randy Andy’s Made in RI Kingmaker Summer Workshop Recital will debut nine new drag kings through short performative pieces at Askew in PVD. The audience can expect to be introduced to complex drag personas through powerful performances, some of which include lip-syncing. Costume and makeup are critical elements of the event. 

Randy Andy is a PVD-based drag king who has been performing for 19 years. Born in RI, he got his start in Seattle before returning to PVD and working on a range of projects. His last show, “Glittery Rage,” was a fundraiser for children detained at the border. The Made In RI Kingmaker Summer Workshop Recital is the culminating event for a four-week workshop focused on sharing techniques for drag performance with the emerging kings. “My drag is the strongest drag out there, and it is based on performance,” he said. “Any expectations about what kinging is will be blown out of the water.” Put simply, the emerging kings in Randy Andy’s recital are putting on a show.

Randy Andy currently runs three 4-week workshops a year for emerging kings. He is excited to have an “opportunity to teach my art, my way of kinging, to a group of people who have the information, have gone through their own processes and will emerge as kings.” He is equally excited about creating community. His events provide not only entertainment, but a physical space for people to find each other in person. They are intended to be safe, comfortable spaces for everyone as well as opportunities for LGBTQ folks to discover a niche. 

I spoke with one of the emerging kings in the Made in RI recital, an agender persona named Captain Astryd, who said, “I’ve always admired drag for the ways in which we can explore and play with gender while completely turning gender expectations upside down. I’m stoked to make my debut into the drag world so I can play too!” 

For more info on Randy Andy and the Made in RI recital, go to facebook.com/randy.andy.184 or facebook.com/events/1079079052303077; Follow Randy Andy on Instagram @randyisanadjective