Purim with Pizzazz
Written by Shlomit Ovadia of JCC Denver.
Can you say, YASSS Queen! Dazzle up for JCC Denver’s Fourth Annual Purim Drag Queen Bingo on March 16, from 7:30 – 10:00 pm. This glitter-tastic event is the perfect fusion of Purim pizzazz and fierce bingo action, headlined by Queen Laura Menorah.
The “Jewess” sensation came to life when lifelong JCC Denver member and Camp Shai alumnus, Josh Miller, was working at Planned Parenthood Denver and needed to raise a lot of money very quickly back in 2017.
Josh made Laura’s first debut at Tracks’ Drag Nation event, where they advocated for pro-choice reproductive health care policies while also riling up the crowd with humor. Needless to say, Laura Menorah raised a lot of money, blowing away both the audience and Queens with her shtick.
“I really worked on incorporating entertainment and advocacy into my drag,” Josh shares.
Josh is a passionate lobbyist and has worked in Denver politics for over 15 years in over 20 political campaigns in Colorado, where he advocates for civil, LGBTQIA+, and women’s rights.
“I love entertaining and creating this character who is an aloof, very blunt and crass Jewish divorcee who just divorced her husband, Marty and is ready to party,” Josh shares.
“Part of my drag is to point out, you can kind of have your cake and eat it too. Drag is a beautiful art that can be used for several forms of expression.”
You can watch Laura Menorah sashay and slay during her third appearance at Purim Drag Queen Bingo this month.
As one of the only Jewish drag performers in Denver, Laura Menorah is excited to be joined by fellow Jewish Queen, America Jackson, among several other sassy characters.
Purim Drag Queen Bingo will open with a performance and jokes by Laura Menorah. Throughout bingo rounds, she’ll pepper in performances with other Queens, who will also be rotating and assisting with the show.
Make sure to purchase tickets to the exclusive, pre-bingo VIP Happy Hour for some one-on-one schmooze-time with Laura and other Queens while enjoying signature cocktails (or mocktails) and small bites. Then, stick around for bingo and more Purim fun with our general admission tickets, which are offered using a sliding scale pricing system.
While Purim is a time to celebrate our hard-earned freedoms, Josh brings awareness to the recent rise in trans hate. “We’re still very much in this fight to be fully liberated,” he explains.
“When I think of Queen Esther who disguises herself to save the Jews…to me, it’s a beautiful story. I really like Purim. It’s a wonderful thing in life to bring a sense of liberation to a group of people for that night.”
“I’m Laura Menorah and if that’s not the most Jewish thing you’ve heard, then oy, my back!”
