Progressive churches in Colorado and Washington are marking the Christmas season with drag-themed performances that reinterpret traditional holiday stories through an explicitly LGBTQ lens, blending religious symbolism with contemporary cultural expression.
The events, hosted alongside more conventional services, have drawn attention for their bold departures from classic Nativity imagery and Christmas pageants that many Americans grew up with.
A Drag Reimagining of the Nativity in Colorado
At Foothills Unitarian Church in Fort Collins, Colorado, the congregation staged its third annual drag Christmas show, titled A Drag Christmas Spectacular, on Dec. 19 and 20.
The 90-minute performance is promoted as “a joyful, irreverent reimagining of the nativity story that celebrates queer joy, chosen family, and the power of love and acceptance.”
Promotional materials lean heavily into theatrical flair. One description urges audiences, “Get ready for the ultimate festive extravaganza with ‘A Drag Christmas Spectacular,’ where magical Queers will slay their way to Bethlehem.”
Organizers note that the show contains adult themes and recommend it for audiences ages 16 and older.
Pastor Says Show Was Shaped by Political and Cultural Climate
The event was created by Rev. Sean Neil-Barron, a queer-identifying minister at Foothills Unitarian. Speaking with Colorado Public Radio last year, Neil-Barron said the idea emerged amid growing concern over legislation he views as hostile to LGBTQ Americans.
“I was kind of sitting with that reality, and also being a queer person myself, I was just realizing what the church needs to step into this gap and say something,” Neil-Barron told the outlet in 2024.
“What if we created this queer little oasis, this little queer sacred space at the holidays for folks to come and see their lives and their community lifted up as worthy, which is so needed right now?”
Neil-Barron said his reinterpretation draws inspiration from the Magi in the biblical account, whom he described as outsiders within the story. That framing helped shape his vision of a Nativity centered on drag performance and LGBTQ themes.
“What if they embodied this search for queerness?… Instead of just finding Jesus, what if they actually stumbled upon queer people coming alive, being born again, claiming joy, claiming hope, claiming resilience?” he said.
Seattle Church Hosts Drag Twist on a Dickens Classic
Colorado is not the only state seeing alternative Christmas storytelling this season.
In Seattle, Emmaus Table, which describes itself as an LGBTQ-affirming spiritual community connected to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, hosted a drag-themed event on Dec. 12 titled Drag Church: The Yassification of Ebenezer Scrooge.
The production reimagined Charles Dickens’s classic holiday tale with drag performers in the starring roles. According to the event description, “The Yassification of Ebenezer Scrooge is a traditional Christmas pageant reimagined through a queer lens.”
The summary continues, “Based on Charles Dickens’s classic A Christmas Carol, the audience follows Ebenezer Scrooge as he is guided by three drag queen spirits on a transformative journey. Together, they help him release shame and anger, embrace his true self, and rediscover the joy of community.”
Unlike the Colorado performance, the Seattle event was billed as “spiritually-inclusive [and] family-friendly” and open to attendees of all ages.
A Broader Trend Among Progressive Denominations
The Christmas performances reflect a wider movement among progressive Christian denominations that openly welcome LGBTQ clergy and congregants. Groups such as the Episcopal Church, the United Methodist Church, Unitarian Universalists, and the United Church of Christ have increasingly embraced drag worship services and other nontraditional ministry events.
Meanwhile, politically themed Nativity scenes and alternative holiday displays have appeared at churches across the country this year, underscoring how some congregations are using the Christmas season to blend faith, identity, and modern social commentary.
Foothills Unitarian Church and Emmaus Table did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
