RuPaul’s Drag Race winner brings thrilling solo show to the AC Commons Theatre
Fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race got a special treat on Sept. 23: the show’s 2022 winner Willow Pill performed at the Algonquin College Commons Theatre. The performance was one of four Canadian stops on Pill’s solo North American tour.
“We did a spring leg and now this is our fall leg,” said Derry MacDermitt, Pill’s official merchandiser. “This is our sixth show of the fall leg and our last Canada show.”
Over its roughly 90-minute runtime, Pill’s performance for this tour explored their childhood and their journey to becoming a successful drag queen. The show featured energetic dance routines and musical numbers, as well as interactions between Pill and various characters that appeared via a giant projector screen. Pill also used the screen to share photos from their childhood and discuss their religious upbringing.
Originally, the God’s Child tour was only going to have 20 stops and was not going to stop in Ottawa. The performance at the Algonquin College Commons Theatre was added in February 2024, only about a month before the tour’s kickoff in March.
“I was the one who booked the show,” said Amanda Logan, events programmer of the Algonquin Students’ Association. “We thought it would be a great way to kick off pride week here on campus. I saw she was on tour. Seeing that she was going to Montreal just the night before, I said hey, we’re only two hours away if you want to swing by and do a show here too and she said yes.”
“Can you believe it’s my first time in Ottawa?” said Pill, post-performance. “Everybody’s been so great and so welcoming.”
Ottawa drag fan Robin Tapp heard about the show through a Facebook ad by the Algonquin Students’ Association, and says she was delighted to see Willow perform.
“She was really great,” said Tapp. “She has pretty intricate outfits, so I feel it’s a pretty good show.”
The Commons Theatre was packed with drag fans, who responded to Pill’s performance with thrilled cheers and thunderous applause.
“I’m a fan of Willow and a big fan of drag in general,” said Logan. “I love bringing drag queens in. I think it diversifies our culture and our shows on campus.”
