After years of planning events behind the scenes, Keith McNinch is stepping into the spotlight, this time, in heels.
As a Queen’s staff member and creative spirit for almost 10 years, McNinch, events and operations coordinator for the University, has found a new creative outlet through drag persona Shocktea Bubblegum.
In an interview with The Journal, McNinch explains he aims to blend storytelling through original music and a persona that reflects both personal transformation and community empowerment.
“Shocktea’s not just a drag queen, she’s the vessel for all this creative energy I’ve carried through my life,” McNinch said.
Originally from Chicago, McNinch has lived in Canada for over 21 years. McNinch and his husband were drawn to the slower pace of life, moving from Toronto event planning to growing lavender on his husband’s generational farm. Whenbefore McNinch ultimately landed a job at Queen’s, something he described it as if as feeling like “the universe had aligned.”
Over time, McNinch became deeply connected to the Kingston community through local farmers, local Musicians and what he calls his “LGBTQ family.” He credits these overlapping communities, especially the LGBTQ+ community at Queen’s, with inspiring and encouraging his journey into drag.
Keith first experimented with drag during a Halloween costume contest when he debuted a younger version of Shock Tea Bubblegum, inspired by Princess Bubblegum from Adventure Time. While originally intended to be a lighthearted costume contest with his husband, McNinch described the feeling of the crowd when he won, sparking something within him which inspired him to keep building the character in the future.
When asked about his motivation to continue doing drag, Keith said he wants to inspire others to embrace self-expression in their own ways. He sees drag as a creative outlet that allows longburied feelings to surface, emotions that might not find space in day-today work life.
“So I’m doing that [drag] for myself, but I also think, through the character of Shocktea, I’m trying to do that for others,” he Keith McNinch in his drag persona. said. “Hopefully, Shocktea can open people up to new perspectives, and also take a look at their identity […] and try to enhance their vision of who they are.”
Reflecting on whether he felt hesitant about sharing his drag persona with colleagues at Queen’s, McNinch admitted to feeling slightly nervous at first, but ultimately, he explained the experience was liberating. He attributes this sense of liberation comfort to the support he received from the Queen’s community, including colleagues who came to his drag performances, such as Shelagh Rogers, the University’s, Queens Universities’ own Chancellor.
“She came to my show in April at the Grad Club. It [The Drag Performance] was about to be cancelled, but there was Shelagh Rogers with my friends up in the front, and that was amazing.”
McNinch also spoke about how his friendships with professors and educators across different fields at Queen’s enriched his experience with drag.
“It’s also funny how friends that I’ve made all seem to have areas of interest that are intriguing to me, like physics, neuroscience, and religion. We had several areas in the show, it’s unifying, because it’s something that people from so many walks of life can enjoy, and even participate in if they want to, without having to make it their whole life.”
Now, McNinch is working on producing and performing original music, and he hopes to bring this work to Kingston stages, and eventually collaborate with the arts community at Queen’s.
As for his advice for students or others who may be interested in exploring drag, Keith’s first tip was to simply “hit up the thrift store.” But more importantly, he emphasized the value of community, adding how if you go out and look for it, there’s many supportive and welcoming people in Kingston.
“Kingston is so welcoming, and there’s already an infrastructure to put on shows. If you reach out and look for it, there are so many supportive people.” For those who may feel hesitant or afraid, he recommended attending the Open Stage Drag Show at The Grad Club, which takes place the first Wednesday of every month at 8 PM and is hosted by Rowena Whey.
The broader community, he says, is the pathway through which dreams and aspirations come to life.
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