A Tribute to Tooth and Nails

Tooth and Nails as a show, and the producers behind it, hold a special place in my heart. I had fallen in love with the art form of drag in late 2023 when I attended the Bloodbath Ball for my birthday of that year. I walked out of The Saloon that night knowing that drag was something I wanted to do for myself. But, due to various personal restrictions I sadly wouldn't be able to go see any more shows until I got my life together. As time went on though, I was becoming a quiet fanboy of so many different artists, and held dreams of starting to perform alongside all of these people I admired. One of which being Lap Sin Judgement, a goth/horror inspired artist who's Instagram is filled to the brim with the most unsettling edits of themselves. As a horror nerd, I fucking loved it. So when I saw they were performing the weekend of my birthday, I knew where I was going to be.

American Horror Night was an event and show hosted at The Eagle with carnival games, a costume contest, and a short drag show. While I attended, I got to chatting to Hymenn Opus, one performer I had yet to find in my own lurking of the drag scene on Instagram. While talking, I jokingly said I was a "wanna be drag queen," attempting to make a little light of the dream that had been brewing for a year at that point. When making conversation with the other artists running the games, it instead introduced me as "A future drag performer." Hymenn, unknowingly, changed the way I thought of myself forever in the simplest pivot of language. It cemented this little hope of fulfilling my dreams into a real possibility. Which only became even better when after the night ended and I began to tipsily post on my Instagram about the night I had, they messaged me letting me know that if I wanted to debut, to reach out to them. My friends at the time can account for how absolutely insane I was acting in response. I don't think I stopped losing my mind about it until a solid month or two later. I have gone to almost every single one of their shows since.

Official Tooth and Nails Poster

Tooth & Nails is hosted every 4th Friday at 9pm at the Eagle in Minneapolis.
Produced by Hymenn Opus, Lap Sin Judgement, and Crow Shay.

Before Tooth and Nails, the Eagle hosted a monthly event called Lip Service on Monday nights. And as a way to draw people in, the now T&N crew were regularly invited to perform and bring others with them. These performances were not paid gigs, the producers and performers only being able to make tips. But as time went on, and popularity grew, the team reached out to the Eagle to potentially do something a bit bigger. The producers described to me they didn't have any high expectations, jokingly saying "Maybe we could get a Tuesday!" But to their surprise, they were offered paid gigs and Friday nights! The first Lip Service performance under the Tooth and Nails name was April 8th 2024, but the first production that was all their own was on August 30th of the same year. They continued to do Lip Service on top of their brand new show for a couple months, but quickly realized the workload was too much and focused on their own show.

When asked what was the idea behind creating Tooth and Nails, they told me about how they wanted to create a safe and fun environment for any artist, of any experience level or walk of life, to be able to share their art with an audience. As stated by Crow Shay, one of the producers, "I like to think that we're The Island of Misfit Toys of drag." A T&N show is meant to be a space where artists can learn and grow, and also a space for those who may not 'fit in' other spaces cleanly. In my own experience at their shows, I've seen a wide variety of performances ranging from reverse burlesque, artful political protest, and comedic references to niche pop culture. Their mission to create a space for any and all is one of the reasons I became such a fan.

Tooth and Nails' tagline is being an "alternative drag variety show," and so I had to ask, what is alternative drag? Hymenn notably was very excited to speak on the idea, describing drag as a whole as "Gender fuckery performance art." But as drag has gotten more popular outside of local scenes, and has gotten almost mainstream, it's leaned into becoming palatable for public consumption. On the topic, Crow stated, "A lot of what has become socially accepted as a baseline of drag is drag that is centered hetero-normativity, cis-normativity, and gender presentation." Alternative drag is a label used to celebrate the diversity of what drag can be. Any art is influenced by our own lived experiences, and therefore by celebrating diversity within the art form, we open ourselves up to understand those experiences. Tooth and Nails does not aim to exclude those who could fit into the mainstream, but uses the label of alternative to express that their space is never going to ask performers to adhere to preexisting notions of what they should be.

With completing their first year as a production, I asked if they had any advice for anyone else looking to create their own shows. "You are gonna want a spreadsheet." Stated Crow, then continued with "Give yourself, like, ten times more time than you think you'll need." Creating a show is hard work that takes a lot of planning and coordination, and these three had to learn it all for the first time on their own. "What you put into it is what you're going to get from it," Said Lap Sin. As for performers, they advise practicing being able to pivot! Performing can be unpredictable, and learning to adjust to any craziness will help you in the long run. But remember, the most important thing is to have fun.

Crow Shay

I got the chance to learn about Crow Shay (He/They), and the ways in which he's ambitious but also doesn't take himself too seriously. Between getting a double degree in college and expanding his drag career rapidly in the 3 years he's existed as Crow Shay, his main advice to other performers was to "Be a little silly!" They've done so much, such as winning Werk cycle 15 and nominated for Lush's rising star, yet I noticed they seem to do it for their own sense of fun and fulfillment over anything else. And that's not even touching on being a producer of a regular drag show, making all of the posters and graphics too. (He does take graphic design commissions by the way!)

After many years of cosplaying, Crow Shay initially started doing drag in 2018 for college charity shows under the name Luke Warm. Luke was the name his parents would have given him if he had been born AMAB, and he described not wanting to fit into the intense sexy energy that many drag kings have. "The opposite of hot is meh, so Luke Warm," They explained. After performing roughly once or twice a year as Luke Warm, Crow decided to dip their toes into the larger Twin Cities scene in 2022. They initially stayed as Luke Warm, but due to our culture of calling everyone by one of someone's names, that quickly changed due to Crow disliking being called 'Luke' or worse 'Warm.' Ironically enough, crocheting as the art form was not his first inspiration. He initially landed on the name Crow, liking the sound of it as an individual name, and started to come up with puns off of it. Crow Shay started as just a fun nod to an ongoing hobby, and now it is an undeniable part of his brand. "Every time I do a show and I have a costume without any yarn, there is at least one person in the audience who goes, 'Where's the crochet?'" He told me, to which I had to laugh. But crocheting is not the only identifiable part of Crow Shay's drag, as I had the word 'Puppets' written in my notes at least three times. Crow Shay is masterful with their use of puppetry in their drag, using their theater skills to create wonderfully dynamic and funny performances whenever a puppet is on stage with them.

He got these theater skills not just from performing and practice, but from his double degree in theater and graphic design that he got in only 4 years. This is one of many examples of Crow Shay being simultaneously ambitious and successful, but incredibly humble about said successes. He joked to me about how he was homecoming queen in high school, but homecoming king in college. While it was obviously intended as an ironic fact because of his transition, I can't help but notice how it's an example of his friendly nature and how well liked he is. While talking to him, it was easy to laugh and smile, and he brings that same energy to his performances. So knowing that, it's no surprise to me that he would win such titles and get more opportunities because of it. Even just by looking through his Instagram, you can see that he brings a pastel pop to drag that I personally adore. His drag is sweet, but can also be funny or raw and it's always been an amazing time watching him.

Finally, I wanted to take a moment to share what he wanted to tell other artists. "Be silly! Don't take yourself seriously! We're all playing dress up! I'll say this till the day I die, we're playing dress up in a public space. We're going and being goofy, and lip syncing the same way we used to dance around our living rooms as kids. That joy and that pure happiness that you felt when you did that as a kid is what is that special spark that makes people like to watch my performances. ... I have plans, and I care that it looks presentable, but I don't take it seriously. We're all playing dress up at a bar. ... It should be fun. Be silly."

Lap Sin Judgement

Lap Sin Judgement (They/Them) my beloved. As one of the first people outside of my own personal friend circle to encourage me to debut, that sentence always springs up when I talk about them. They are a producer, technician, and an artist of many forms. While they don't perform as frequently as the other two producers, when they do it's always a ground shakingly good time.

Before debuting in October of 2023, Lap Sin Judgement found their drag name through drag-ifying everyday words. After hearing a coworker saying they had a 'lapse in judgement,' they picked it up as their name because it was fun and a little bit edgy. Which is also a great way to describe their style of drag up to this point. Out of all of the T&N crew, I had found Lap Sin first on Instagram because of some of their amazing edits of their own drag. I'm a lover of the horror genre, and I adore the way these images feel not-quite-human and invoke a feeling of discomfort. They described being influenced by the horror genre, goth subculture, and especially the show Dragula. "I still didn't see myself in drag artists till I saw Dragula. Seeing people express themselves in such unique and personal ways expanded my mind even more as to what drag is," They wrote to me, "It all clicked into place in my head. I like to uphold goth values of radical inclusivity, tragic romanticism, darkness and death, gender nonconformity, leftist politics, and anti-establishment ideals in my drag. I am not trying to look pretty or good, I'm not performing for money, I'm performing for myself and my community." They are a go with the flow kind of performer who invokes more of a feeling in their shows, focusing on storytelling elements rather than hyping a crowd up. And these themes are what drew me to them as an artist initially, as the artistry of horror is less commonly practiced in mainstream drag spaces. But that lack of representation is seemingly why Lap Sin described themselves as being 'picky' when it comes to performing.

But when they're not performing, you'll often see Lap Sin using their technical theater degree to help run and DJ the Tooth and Nails show. They described enjoying being able to make things run behind the scenes, which I find ironic considering the spotlight at The Eagle is pointed directly at the DJ booth. But I believe that it's a good spot for them, as they described having a deep love for music and musical theory. A love they want to put into practice by making musical mixes for other performers, or possibly venturing into the world of music production in the future. I'm deeply excited to see what Lap Sin Judgement brings to the table next, and be sure to reach out to them if you need a mix made for an upcoming performance.

Hymenn Opus

Our local buggy babe Hymenn Opus (It/It's), from name to style, is all about subverting the audience's expectations. It describes its drag as "quoting gender" and trying to turn uncomfortable imagery into something silly and enjoyable. You can often see it wearing an homage to various bugs ranging from butterflies to centipedes, turning things we often understand as 'grotesque' into something beautiful.

While many in the scene have a history in theater of some kind, Hymenn was raised in what they described as a rather blah part of Kansas City. While it was close enough to the city to be accepted, it described still feeling 'othered' amongst its peers. So, to the Twin Cities it came for a new start and its college career, but it wasn't until 2022 when it started to watch the show Dragula with Lap Sin Judgement that drag as an art form caught its eye. It took major inspiration from the way the artists mixed horror and beauty, and that's easy to see in the drag we see from it today. "Hoso Terra Toma was also very insectoid, and that just really resonated with me." It explained in our interview, "It wasn't just female impersonation, a lot of them were fem, but it was more like quoting gender and then messing with it. And I liked that a lot more as a concept." This inspiration then led to them learning more about the history of drag as a whole. Then only a year later, in April of 2023, they debuted under the name Hymenn Opus.

In the insect world, very few are known for their beauty, but the orchid mantis is one that stands out. The scientific name for its genus is Hymenopus, which should become obvious as to where Hymenn got its name. However, I for one, first thought its name was a nod to the body part, as Hymenn Opus sounds very similar to 'open hymen.' I learned this misconception is fully intentional, as the prefix 'hymen' is apparently very common in the bug world. Hymenn now practices similar subversions of expectation consistently as a part of its image. It uses femininity as a base for its drag, and then twists it to be something a little more monstrous while maintaining elements of beauty and prettiness. It often uses large black contacts and big eyeshadow to invoke a bug-eye look, while often adorned in sparkles and flowing clothing. Its numbers also often include themes of tragedy and transformation, which I find to be an interesting tie to the gothic and punk nature of the T&N show at large.

In its time, it has participated in various shows and competitions while starting Tooth and Nails with its drag family, and I for one am so excited to see what happens next. Whether its Tooth and Nails, or any of the other amazing shows we have in the Twin Cities, I know Hymenn Opus will bring a horror inspired weirdo masterpiece for all of us to enjoy.

Thank you to Tooth and Nails for letting me interview you, and for being truly supportive to not only me but other performers who are finding their footing within the community. As I said earlier, your show will always hold a special place in my heart and I see everyday how your efforts make an impact on others. Tooth and Nails will always be a show for the newbies, the freaks, and anyone willing to see what drag can be. Happy (slightly belated) 1st birthday to you, Tooth and Nails! This is my loving tribute to you all and all that you do.

And with that,
Have a lovely evening~