UWM Drag Show Serves Looks and Spreads Love

Posted on by

Sitting on a creaky chair tucked into a warm dressing room above the Miller High Life Theater in Milwaukee, a lanky Lee Rydzewski sits in a teal floral kimono with his legs crossed. His makeup is pristine. He’s wearing a long, flowing head of hair that’s not his own and sky-high false lashes.

“I always feel like Brooke Shields in this hair,” Rydzewski says.

Originally from Manitowoc, the 6-foot-5-inch florist has his musical theater days to thank for his impeccable transformation into the glamorous Dita Von, a staple in the Milwaukee drag scene for the last five years. Tonight, Dita harbors elegance and grace as she towers over other drag queens in four inch heels at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Drag Show.

Dita Von, Milwaukee Drag Show, UWM Drag Show
Dita Von. Photo: Kaitlyn Herzog

“These queens are something else,” a Milwaukee Pathfinders volunteer who wished to remain anonymous said. “I give them credit for all they do.”

The drag show is in its 20th year of celebrating open-mindedness, equality and inclusion in the Milwaukee community. Put on by UWM’s LGBT Resource Center, the show has quickly become the largest drag show in the Midwest. In its fifth year at the Miller High Life Theater, the drag show originated in the UWM Union Ballroom, but quickly outgrew the venue because of its popularity.

Milwaukee Pathfinders has worked with the UWM Drag Show in the past. The organization helps homeless youth, many of whom are kicked out of their family homes after coming out to their parents. According to the volunteer, the drag show is a place for teens to be supported.

While understanding the circumstances may not be the same for all performers and audience members at tonight’s drag show, Rydzewski says he’s grateful his family has been supportive through all of this.

“I’m so blessed,” Rydzewski said.

His father was hesitant at first, but is now completely accepting. Rydzewski credits past castmates in theater productions and their love for drag as an influential turning point in his decision to become Dita Von.

Nearly every weekend, Dita Von is the show director at Hamburger Mary’s in Walker’s Point, a restaurant that serves dinner with a show–a drag show! Her elaborate costumes are often handmade, taking inspiration from old Hollywood and notes her makeup may look a bit intense in the mirror, but heavy contouring allows for her to not be washed out by the harsh lights of the stage.

dita von
Dita Von had multiple costume changes at the UWM Drag Show. Photo: Kaitlyn Herzog

Transforming into someone else asks for a new persona. Lee Rydzewski admits he has some social anxieties in public situations, even after 10 years of working in customer service, but Dita Von has all the confidence when she hits the stage in front of thousands of people. He notes the weekend persona begs for courage and poise and without it, Dita wouldn’t be Dita. While Lee uses the pronouns he/him/his and Dita uses she/her/hers, neither of whom will correct you if you don’t use the preferred one.

As we sit and discuss life with and without her Brooke Shields’ hair, Dita Von exudes the self-awareness and confidence anyone could wish for. As much as Lee may think it’s a facade, Dita is inspirational to anyone who meets her. As is Lee. They both bring hope and understanding to a community that begs for just that.

“We all just need to love each other a little bit more.”