Photos: SF drag club throws charity bash for new arts initiative

By George Kelly and Michaela VatchevaPublished Nov. 24, 2024 • 4:30pm

A packed house of drag performers, politicians, and patrons dazzled a crowd at Oasis for a gala raising money for the club’s new arts initiative.

The South of Market LGBTQ+ club, owned by D’Arcy Drollinger, launched its Oasis Arts nonprofit to support queer performers and productions. It had raised less than half its goal before the Saturday-night event began; by the end, donors including Mayor London Breed and Planned Parenthood board member Jessica Bryndza met the ambitious target of $200,000.

“We love the arts and, more importantly, we love D’Arcy, and we love what Oasis represents. We want to see these artists thrive,” said Breed, who bid $2,000 on a magnum of champagne during the auction.

Drollinger has outlined plans to use the funds across several initiatives, including a film production facility with a 45-foot cyclorama. Last year, the venue paid 100 drag performers $1,000 each to perform on 60 street corners throughout San Francisco.

State Sen. Scott Wiener praised Oasis as a “sacred space” while acknowledging challenges facing local artists.

A person in dramatic makeup and a bright pastel outfit adorned with tulle and a flowery hat sits in a dressing room, with another person in the background. — Bonita said her circle of friends — "the queers, the rebels" — flock to the city as a safe haven, "as a beacon for art." | Source: Michaela Vatcheva for The Standard

Two people are posing together. One is smiling, wearing a red jacket, and the other has glasses, a beard, and an open shirt with pearls. The background is colorful graffiti. — Teosros Deressegne, left, and Dollii are loyal patrons of Oasis. “I’ve seen this city go down the tubes and come back up again," Deressegne said, "and I can feel a resurgence now." | Source: Michaela Vatcheva for The Standard

A person with wavy hair stands on stage in a red-lit setting, surrounded by curtains and smoke, with silver hands reaching towards them on the backdrop. — Cheetah Biscotti performs Saturday. | Source: Special to The Chronicle

A performer in a sparkling pink and silver dress with a voluminous wig reaches toward an audience member. The scene is brightly lit with a disco ball overhead. — Oasis owner D’Arcy Drollinger helps Mayor London Breed onto the stage. | Source: Michaela Vatcheva for The Standard

A lively party with a crowd under ornate chandeliers and vibrant lights. People are mingling, some in costumes, and balloons add a festive touch. — Patrons sidle up to the bar. | Source: Special to The Chronicle

A person in vibrant lighting smiles, holding cash in one hand. They're dressed in flashy attire with a sign reading "Singles" and "Tips" adorned with decorations. — Ali Scat, who performed on skates, credits Oasis for helping form a stage persona. "It's made me who I am as a person as well," she said. | Source: Special to The Chronicle

“San Francisco doesn’t make it easy to be an artist,” Wiener said, “and so it is always so inspiring to me that artists are always like, ‘Hell no, we’re not going anywhere.'”

Wiener made the stakes clear, acknowledging the political challenges facing the city and the region. “We have a fight on our hands as a community, as a country,” he said. “When I think about art and performance and all of that beauty and the strength and inspiration that it brings and the artists bring, that’s gonna energize all of us for that fight.”

A person with short dark hair and a "Love" tattoo on their bare back is seated in a dimly lit room with red lighting and spotlights, likely at a performance event. — A VIP guest in a backless gown. | Source: Michaela Vatcheva for The Standard

A mannequin head with blue eyes and red lips is adorned with flowers and feathers atop a mirrored base. It's placed on a table with cocktail glasses and a flyer, bathed in pink lighting. — A centerpiece at the gala, where VIP guests paid at least $250 for an exclusive early show. | Source: Special to The Chronicle

A lively scene shows a woman in a sparkling pink dress with feathers, smiling and engaging with a cheering audience in a dimly lit venue. — Breed celebrates winning a $2,000 bid on a magnum of champagne. | Source: Special to The Chronicle

A man in glasses wearing a shiny blue jacket looks upwards thoughtfully in a dimly lit room, surrounded by people in colorful attire. — California Sen. Scott Wiener called Oasis a sacred space in the community, noting that performers have shown resilience in a city that doesn’t make it easy to be an artist. | Source: Michaela Vatcheva for The Standard

A lively audience sits at tables in a dimly lit venue, clapping and watching attentively. One woman in a vibrant red outfit is prominently visible at the front. — The VIP audience enjoys an exclusive performance before the main event. | Source: Michaela Vatcheva for The Standard

A lively stage performance features a costumed musician playing guitar, surrounded by colorful lights, confetti, and an engaged audience. — Mudd the Two Spirit takes the stage with backup dancers. | Source: Michaela Vatcheva for The Standard

Even with greater visibility of drag culture, the club has had to contend with shifts within the entertainment industry, performer Kochina Rude said.

“People show up at events around the city and they just take, they absorb and leave,” Rude said. “What’s left is that creatives don’t have the same support system as we used to.

“It feels more than ever that we have to fight really hard to keep our space here. We don’t have the engagement with the culture we are celebrated for.”

For many performers, Oasis is more than just a venue.

“I wouldn’t be who I am today without Oasis,” drag artist Ali Scat said. “It’s made me an artist. It’s literally kept people alive,” she said, referring to initiatives like Rude’s training on the use of Narcan.

Scat fought back tears.

“I can’t cry right now, ’cause I’m about to go perform.”