Kick & Heels:A Look Back at Woo Pride Kickball League’s First Fundraiser
{ Nick Sposato }
KICKBALL AND DRAG QUEENS are certainly not the most likely of pairings. After all, being required to run bases wearing a wig, a corset, and a pair of heels sounds like a cruel and unusual punishment. There was none of that at Woo Pride Kickball League’s first fundraiser, but there were fiery lip-syncs and fabulous outfits.
The fundraiser, which was held at Worcester’s Freeplay Bar Arcade on December 14, was a drag show with a twist. The kicker (pun intended) was that alongside some of Worcester’s iconic drag queens, six of the Woo Pride League kickball players would also be taking the stage in full drag.
“It started off for the league, but eventually it became for the community” explained Matthew Gonzalez, founder, commissioner, and president of Woo Pride Kickball League.
The enthusiasm for the event was undeniable as attendees gathered around the dance floor in anticipation of seeing the transformed players. When the queens strutted into Freeplay’s event space with their drag daughters, it was clear which queen had paired up with which player, elements of each queen’s look in her coordinating daughters hair, outfit, and makeup. Robyn Millionz, Harley Queen, Victoria Obvious, Mal E. Fishn’t, Gem Stoner, and Cortana Wednesday, and their drag daughters, Helisson Corrêa Neno “Bella Donna Devita,” Jessica Decson “Jell E. Fishn’t,” Christian Yapor “Tina Tequila,” Michael DoValle “Alessandra Braziliass” and Michael Merriam “Rosie Ginsburg,” were stunning in their mother-daughter best.
“I fully respect drag queens and the fact that they can walk in heels, wear the makeup and the wig and still make it look effortless,” Gonzalez shared. He was transformed into his drag persona, Whiskey Woo, by Robyn Millionz and explained the lengths the queens went to make sure the players were comfortable and confident to perform in drag for the show. They helped the players find their outfits, learn how to walk in heels, and choreograph their lip-syncs, showing them the ropes so they could slay without hesitation.
The queens and players got so into it, they even put together additional outfits. “I had to change the program and do an introduction piece [for] their first outfits,” Gonzalez reflected.
The show began with performances from the drag daughters, all of them bringing their A-game, channeling their inner drag divas and giving the audience energized performances. Mal E. Fishn’t and her drag daughter Jell E. Fishn’t brought a taste of broadway to the night’s festivities with their lip-sync to Chicago’s “Cell block Tango.”
Following the first portion of the show, the drag mothers took their turns lip-syncing and tearing up the dance floor. There’s nothing like a drag show to make you have a fantastic time and forget your troubles and Woo Pride Kickball League’s Fundraiser did just that. With every strut, split, and drop, the queens had the audience cheering, clapping, and whistling. DaishaDore Famouz, who hosted the fundraiser, closed out the show with an incredibly entertaining performance to Cardi B’s “Money,” during which she fittingly threw her tips into the air.
Amidst the energy and excitement, there was also a deep sense of solidarity. Owner of Free Play Bar Arcade, Anthony Santurri, took a moment to share how proud he was to host the event at Freeplay. Like its sister location in Providence, Free Play Worcester is a queer friendly space -- hopefully its event space will be the location for many more queer community happenings. On top of this, everyone (Gonzalez included) was surprised when owner of The Woo Bar & Grill, Jon Pittsley, took a moment to announce the bar would be donating $1,000 to Woo Pride Kickball League.
It was amazing to see such support for Woo Pride Kickball League; from the attendees who bought tickets, to the queens who performed, to the local business owners who contributed to the team’s growth, the community came together that night to uplift and celebrate a growing piece of the local queer scene. While not everyone may always see eye to eye, that night was a clear signifier of the unity and friendship that flows within Worcester’s queer circles.
Gonzalez put it best: “There is some camaraderie, there is love, there is togetherness in our community.”
The Woo Pride Kickball League fundraiser was undoubtedly a success and is hopefully the first of many. As the league continues to grow (with dodgeball and volleyball likely being added this year) Gonzalez wants to express gratitude to the current and incoming board members of the league who volunteer their time to help give Worcester an inclusive, fun sports outlet.
Those looking to get involved with the league can reach out through the Out Loud Sports Facebook group or the Woo Pride Kickball League Facebook group.