Start your engines, the World of Wonder team is revving up for the grand opening of Drag Race: The Experience. Formerly the home of Disney100: The Exhibition, the space at 2367 W. Logan Blvd. is once again ruled by fierce queens and photographic opportunities.

Squirrel friends and longtime fans can immerse themselves in a fantasy of being cast in the Emmy Award-winning Drag Race franchise. Ticket holders can explore the Werk Room, play the Snatch Game and strut down the runway on the Main Stage. 

The curators have planned future programming to include cast members and special events during a limited run. A preview night was held on Nov. 20 with a premiere screening of Canada’s Drag Race season six, which was presented by RuPaul’s Drag Race season 15 contestant Aura Mayari.

Aura confessed her personal struggles and journey to compete on the legendary competition series backstage before her appearance.

Windy City Times: How does your drag name tell a story?

Aura Mayari: I was born in the Philippines and the family moved here in 2003 because of my dad’s work. I am proud of my culture and, when coming up with a name for my drag, I wanted to represent where I came from. “Aura” was popularized in the Philippines as a gay term for someone who is trying to get attention. “Mayari” is a Filipino moon goddess that I found on Google.

I am obsessed with my heritage and it looks good with my skin tone. [laughs]

Aura Mayari Chicago. Photo by Jerry Nunn

WCT: Your boy name is powerful as well.

AM: They call me Jay-R, but my full name is Jay-Ric. Filipino parents often have their parents’ names combined. My mom’s name is Jane and my father’s name is Ricardo.

WCT: Were they always supportive of you performing in drag?

AM: Yes. My mom would go to all of the drag brunches and all of the shows. My dad did too but has passed away. When he was with us, he came to all of the shows and brought his engineering co-workers with him. I am very lucky to have supportive parents.

WCT: Did you start performing in Chicago?

AM: I grew up in Carol Stream and visited Chicago often before I started drag. I would go to the teen night promotions like Wild Thursdays.

WCT: Jade from season one of RuPaul’s Drag Race would perform there.

AM: Jade was the first drag queen I had ever seen in my life. 

WCT: What inspired your move to Tennessee?

AM: Leaving Nashville was so difficult for me and it was really where I grew up as a drag entertainer. When I lived in Chicago, I had a full-time job and would perform in drag on certain nights of the week. I didn’t take it seriously even though I created a name for myself. I left during the pandemic and completely quit drag.

I had to focus on work. When I was performing drag, I would sometimes miss work because of being in nightlife and it all became unhealthy for me.

I moved to Nashville and the owners of Play Dance Bar called to see if I would perform there. They wanted to cast me and before that, drag was a hobby. That was the moment I had to decide if it could be my job. Drag was something I loved doing. I didn’t do it to be pretty or get attention. I was always onstage in musicals and dancing while I was growing up.

I decided to quit my day job and do drag full-time because I loved it. It was hard work, but being so passionate about it didn’t ever make it feel like a job.

WCT: Sounds like you were on the right track. What led you to Drag Race?

AM: I auditioned three months after I moved to Nashville and I received the call that I would be on the show. It was unbelievable that it happened right after I made the decision to go full-time with drag.

WCT: Could you have been a competitor from Chicago instead of Nashville on your season?

AM: I wanted to and the Chicago queens wanted me to represent the city, but I had quit drag, then moved. When they saw I had been cast as being from Nashville, I explained that I had asked production about that. Even though it had only been a few months of residing in Nashville, since I was living there when the show aired, that’s where I was required to say I was from.

WCT: Did you know Jorgeous from the season before yours, who was also working at Play in Nashville?

AM: I was hired there when Jorgeous was prepping for Drag Race. We worked together a few times, then suddenly she was packing up her stuff. I knew exactly where she was going and when she returned, I was leaving for my season.

WCT: Is Manila Luzon your favorite Asian Drag Race contestant?

AM: Yes. I didn’t even know what Drag Race was and I was performing in the musical Rent as Angel. They used the makeup from Manila as a reference for me and I was surprised to see an Asian drag queen on TV. I watched her season and totally fell in love with her.

WCT: What is your favorite musical?

AM: I am not good at comedy and Spring Awakening is very dark, serious and emotional, so that is my favorite.

WCT: Do you have new music out right now?

AM: I do and it’s a very nasty song called “Dungeon.” When writing it I wanted it to be edgy and sexy. Many people hold back who they are as people and that is symbolic. It’s not just about sex, but about finding confidence from within oneself, not just in the bedroom but in life.

WCT: The video reminded me of the lack of diversity often found in the leather community.

AM: It’s about that too, and I hope people will watch it as a confidence booster as well.

WCT: Do you have a full album planned?

AM: I plan on doing an EP next year and I would like it to be double-sided. Listeners will be able to hear me out of drag and in drag. I want to explore everything about me and share it to the audience. 

I am writing a ballad, which is niche for the Drag Race fans, but I am doing it for myself. Drag queens have a lot of hurt and we need to let it out. I hope people out there will relate to it.

WCT: Are you engaged?

AM: I am married. We were married last month, in October, at the courthouse to get it done because of everything happening in the world. We didn’t do a big wedding because we were all nervous that marriage could be taken away from us at any time.

WCT: Congratulations on the wedding. Are you interested in being on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars?

AM: I really want to, and they will call me whenever they are ready for me. What will be different this time is that I am used to the media now and being in front of the cameras. I am more comfortable now because we had no training for that.

I felt very insecure about my accent when I spoke and I was scared to fumble. Suddenly, my Filipino accent would come out when I was nervous. Since my season, I have worked to embrace my culture. I wanted to represent my culture, but for some reason, the accent was so deep for me. As an immigrant, I was made fun of for my accent when I was a kid and it’s hard to let that go.

WCT: Are you sure you want to go back through the trauma?

AM: I feel it would be very different. I have grown as an artist and a person. Coming back would be an amazing, magical experience for me because I can be myself and not worry so much.

In Season 15, I was shaking boots every second. I saw some of the other contestants being very comfortable and I envied that about them. I felt like I was shrinking and had to be tough at the same time. I couldn’t even express how I felt back then because I didn’t want to look weak.

I faked it until I was eliminated.

If I were to go back, I would absorb the energy in the room and look around while enjoying it. It’s an amazing opportunity that not many people get to experience.

WCT: Are there opportunities for all the Drag Race contestants, even if they don’t win?

AM: We all want to win, but being cast is winning. There are a lot of things that go into auditioning. The producers told me over 10,000 drag queens auditioned for my season, and they told me to feel special, but I just felt more pressure. I thought all those drag queens would be judging and possibly shocked that I made it. Well, I did make it because I am sickening.

WCT: What era is Aura in right now?

AM: That’s a good question and it changes every year. I was in the cringe era during my season and now I am embracing it. I was so tough on myself when I was called “cringe” on social media after the show aired.

I accepted that maybe “cringe” was who I was at the time and if they call me that, then so be it. It was my anxiety coming out and I went through therapy to work on myself. I have embraced my inner cringe era now.

WCT: What do you think of Drag Race: The Experience?

AM: I love that they are debuting it in Chicago. We need something joyous in our community and we have been through a lot recently. We are scared boots, and we don’t know what will happen.

Drag Race has changed so many people’s lives, not just mine. This is a celebration of our creativity, queerness and the magic of the show.

Visit signup.wowpresentsplus.com/experience for general admission and VIP package opportunities. Dress to impress because, as Ru says, “We’re all born naked and the rest is drag.”

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