This Friday night show at starts like any other, pounding electronic beats pierce the room before a voice over the loudspeaker lists rules for the audience to follow:
鈥淩ule one, the use of flash photography is strictly mandatory. You think I look this good only to exist within your feeble memory?鈥�
What follows is an hour and a half of dancing, lip syncing, and raunchy comedy from a cast of drag performers who undergo multiple costume changes.
But up until last week, this show wasn鈥檛 supposed to happen. After weeks of speculation that the venue would be closing after its owners failed to secure two separate deals to keep it open, Mike Barrett and his husband swooped in at the last moment to purchase 鈥� and save 鈥� Lips.
Barrett is the owner of , a celebrated LGBTQ bar and drag venue in Key West. He isn鈥檛 from the area but almost overnight has turned into a local celebrity almost overnight.
鈥淲e walked into one bar 鈥� I don鈥檛 know how everyone knew who we were because we鈥檙e from Key West 鈥� and everyone started clapping,鈥� he said, 鈥淚t was surreal.鈥�
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Even after Friday night鈥檚 show guests queued up to shake his hand on their way out and express their gratitude.
That sense of gratitude is also shared by the cast of queens, some who had performed at Lips for over a decade and many of whom wondered if the venue closing would force them to retire.
鈥淚'm 52, I鈥檝e been doing this for three decades now,鈥� said Amanda Austin who hosted the show on Friday, 鈥淚 was literally at the point of 'What am I gonna do? Is this the end of my drag career?鈥欌��
Two weeks ago, the performers were told that this week's Sunday brunch performance would be their last show.
鈥淲hen I heard the news I was devastated,鈥� said Mirkala Crystal, who has performed at Lips for almost 20 years, 鈥淚 cried for three days.鈥�
The venue began canceling reservations for the following week, but then Barrett stepped in 鈥� so quickly that Lips never even missed a show. A Facebook post announcing the sale let the performers know their jobs were safe.
鈥淚 was in the car with my husband and I saw the post,鈥� said Crystal, 鈥淚 went thank you God, thank you, thank you, thank you, and I also started crying.鈥�
Lately, that sense of relief has been a rare feeling for drag performers.
The queer artform in recent years has been a lightning rod for scrutiny from the likes of conservative politicians and pundits, across local, state and national levels. Barrett is cognizant of that climate.
鈥淲ith the temperament and everything going on in society today we just wanted to make sure we didn't lose another club,鈥� he said.
There will be changes, as Barrett says the venue will grow and add new shows as it expands its service and will likely rebrand to Aquaplex Fort Lauderdale.
But no matter the name, the show goes on.
