Central Pa. Drag Queen hits the stage for the first time

When Beata Fayce finished a recent performance at Wilson College, the crowd stood up offering deafening applause. They didn't do that for any other of the drag queens who performed that night, so it was easy to figure out that something special was going on.

It was the first time that Chambersburg resident Cory Smith, 29, stepped out in front of an audience as Beata Fayce, and he did so surrounded by a large group of friends and loved ones.

It was the culmination of a journey that started as a dream.

"I discovered the art of drag through pride events and RuPaul's Drag Race," Smith said. "I had always wondered what I would look like in drag, but I never thought I'd get the opportunity to do that. So it wasn't until I met Anastasia Diamond, who is my drag mother, forced her to become my friend, and I then had the opportunity to fulfill that fantasy."

Anastasia Diamond is also a Chambersburg native, and has been helpful in getting Smith started.

She painted his face, to show him what it would look like. Diamond says getting past that is the first step to becoming a drag queen.

It's safe to say Smith was satisfied with the outcome.

"I was a little nervous to see the results just because I wasn't sure what to expect, but when I saw everything in the mirror I couldn't stop looking and fell in love with what I saw and knew I wanted to keep doing it," Smith said.

Drag is a performance art where people dress in elaborate costumes and makeup. The drag queens that performed at Wilson College in June would go around the crowd, lip-syncing and dancing.

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When he knew that this was something that he wanted to do, Smith then faced an obstacle that he experienced once before — coming out again.

"It's definitely one thing to come out to someone and tell them that you're gay, but I never thought that I would relive kind of the same experience, telling people that I do drag," Smith said. 

"Thankfully it's not quite as difficult as telling people that you are gay. But with that being said, the support that I have received from my boyfriend, family, and other friends has been overwhelmingly positive. They're always curious about it and ask questions, so it's been really great to have that interaction with everybody."

Smith didn't know what to expect from the performance, as he wasn't sure what the reception would be like.

Siren Kelly, a queen who performed at the Wilson College show in June, knows how nerve-wracking that first performance can be.

"I think one of the biggest challenges a performer faces is dealing with the anxiety before you step on the stage for the first time," Kelly said. "You will have that thought of hoping everything goes smoothly, in front of a group of people, with all of their attention on you."

Diamond saw the nervousness before Beata Fayce would eventually take the stage, something not uncommon for new queens.

"She was nervous about that," Diamond said. "She was like 'I don't know, maybe I shouldn't do it this early. What if I fall and break my ankle?' And I was like 'girl, you are not going to do any of that.'"

But as the performance got going, those fears washed away.

"Even though I had been to plenty of shows I still wasn't sure what to expect, from the performance side of things," Smith said. "So naturally I was a little nervous and unsure, but backstage everyone was super friendly and helpful. They gave tips and tricks on what to do and what not to do. So that definitely eased me into it.

"But once they announced my name and started the music, that performance mode just kicks in, and I just had a good time."

Smith was thrilled with the reception, as the crowd was filled with members of the pride community, supporters and allies.

He also knows that's far from the case outside of that room, but sees that progress is being made.

"We have Pride Franklin County, and they've done several events within the area," Smith said. "We've done a few prides, which even that kind of shocked me to think that Chambersburg would have a pride event.

"I definitely think that things are improving, and the more events that we have, and more teaching that we can give to the community, the more we'll have."

Kelly was happy to see the reception that Fayce received, knowing that doing this in a small town could present challenges.

"It’s very refreshing to see drag developing inside of a small town," Kelly said. "Beata did a fantastic job at being an entertainer. Coming from a small town myself, you never know the feedback you will get until it happens. It can worry some people, but to see how far these small town communities have come, it’s great to see it being welcomed with open arms."

Diamond sees that what Smith is doing is helpful, as it could inspire others with similar circumstances in the community, and show that there is a support system out there in Franklin County.

"We have to come out, we have to get out into the community, we have to showcase 'we're here'," Diamond said. But be safe, and surround yourself with people who are going to support and uplift you in your excellence that is your queerness."

Smith knows that there are probably others in the community going through the same things he went through. And he knows that he wouldn't be doing this here in Chambersburg without his strong support system.

He said that people who want to follow in his footsteps should reach out to other queens and make those connections. Having support behind you is what makes things easier.

"I'm sure that my story is pretty similar to a lot of other folks within the LGBTQ+ community here," Smith said.

"But you know, growing up here, typically you just hear that a man should always be with a woman. And I was definitely surrounded by a lot of individuals who frequently spoke on that. It wasn't really until high school, when I started to come to terms with my sexuality and slowly became less afraid to be open about it.

"If it weren't for the friends that I had at that time, I definitely struggled, so I really appreciate the support that I did have back then."