In the heart of San Francisco’s Mission District, one of the city’s most beloved and unique holiday traditions is taking place inside the Victoria Theatre. Here some of the Bay Area’s leading comedic drag queens entertain audiences in The Golden Girls Live! The Christmas Episodes, a stage show that revisits the popular 1980s TV show. The theater is packed, and the set resembles the living room in the sitcom.

Now in its 13th year, the stage show features the same sharp wit and sarcasm that made the TV show a classic. Holotta Tymes, who plays the feisty Sophia, calls the stage production “the Nutcracker of the gay community.”

“What started out as a drag show, performed in front of a predominantly gay audience at a Victorian home in San Francisco, has evolved over the years,” Tymes says. “We now host a series of sold-out shows at the Victoria Theatre that attract a diverse audience.”

It’s been almost 35 years since the premiere of The Golden Girls the TV show in 1985, but Tymes says the iconic sitcom continues to be a favorite with the LGBTQ community, especially among gay men, who appreciated the show’s honest focus on issues such as sex after 40, same-sex marriage, and the process of coming out.

A star in the Bay Area drag community for the past 25 years, Tymes has witnessed drag culture change over the years, thanks to the popularity of the TV show RuPaul’s Drag Race, which premiered in 2009. While drag shows used to be limited to gay bars and Pride events, the success of RuPaul’s show has helped drag become more mainstream, attracting audiences of all ages, genders, and sexual orientations.

“In the SF Bay Area, Los Angeles, and New York City, drag shows have expanded to include events such as drag bingo, brunches, and even drag-queen story hours at local libraries,” says Tymes.

When Tymes first began performing in drag at San Francisco’s Finocchio’s nightclub and bar, the venue, along with 82 Club in New York City, were two of the only clubs outside of gay bars that featured performances by drag queens or “female impersonators.” Opening in 1936 in North Beach, Finocchio’s closed its doors in 1999 after experiencing a significant rent increase. Tymes says that Finocchio’s was a club ahead of its time, giving drag queens a mainstream venue where they could entertain both locals and tourists.

Today’s Bay Area drag performers run the gamut from former contestants on RuPaul’s Drag Race to locals who entertain at venues across the Bay. RuPaul has advised drag queens to “keep it cutting edge,” and Tymes agrees. Performing three to four times a week at different venues, involves a constant process of creating new show themes and costumes and updating song parodies.

“I think it’s important to stay current with pop culture and for drag performers to develop their own drag-queen characters,” says Tymes, who has a background in musical theater. Her performances feature a blend of quick-witted comedy, lip-synching, and dance.

Often taking the stage as Cher or Reba McEntire, Tymes has also found success in presenting annual Disney-themed shows as well as a benefit for the AIDS/LifeCycle ride (next year marks Tymes’ seventh year in a row participating in the ride). “I ride in honor of a dear friend, Chad, who we lost to AIDS in 2010, as well as everyone else who has been affected by AIDS and HIV,” Tymes says.

Meanwhile, at Hamburger Mary’s in the Castro, drag queen Saki Samora is lip-synching Jennifer Lopez’s hit song “On the Floor.” With her hips swinging, Samora manages to be both sexy and funny. The audience applauds wildly when the song ends.

It’s been 10 years since Samora began performing in drag, and a lot has changed since her first performance. “There were only a few [drag] makeup tutorials on YouTube,” Samora says with a laugh. Back then, drag queens learned makeup techniques from their peers.

Today, Samora’s transformation from Brian—a handsome gay man—into the sultry diva Saki Samora seems effortless. “I’ve developed my own stage presence, perfected lip-synching, and become more confident,” says Samora. “I enjoy doing celebrity impressions, including Tina Turner and Beyoncé, and several Disney characters.”

Samora and Tymes choose the stars they impersonate on the basis of their talents as well as facial features, body types, and age. In addition to being entertainment, drag has always been about breaking down barriers and promoting inclusivity, diversity, and LGBTQ acceptance. When Samora and Tymes were asked to perform at a holiday fundraiser for a fairly conservative local fraternal organization in 2018, they both realized a shift had occurred.

“We were told in advance that drag queens had never before performed at one of their events and that they weren’t sure how we’d be received,” Samora remembers. “We were nervous, but it turned out to be a positive experience, and they invited us back again.”

Vicodonia Knightingale often joins Samora and Tymes on stage at Club 1220 and Hamburger Mary’s. A drag performer for the past 13 years, Knightingale remembers feeling terrified before taking the stage in drag for the first time. “I was so scared, but the show was a benefit for the AIDS Walk, and I didn’t want to disappoint,” Knightingale says. “Once I was onstage, I had a blast and knew drag was something I wanted to do.”

Over the years, Knightingale has mastered the craft of drag by adding foam hip and butt pads to costumes, learning how to highlight and contour makeup, and watching endless videos in order to perfectly mimic the look and mannerisms of characters, including Wonder Woman and Selena.

“I can do comedy and lip-synch my heart out, but I’m not a dancer, “ Knightingale says. “Holotta is old-school. Saki is sexy. I’m more of a campy drag queen.”

Perhaps the most important influence the Bay Area’s drag queens have is promoting healthy self-esteem in the LGBTQ community — they show us that beauty comes in all forms. When I ask Knightingale if she considers herself a role model, I think about RuPaul’s famous quote “If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell are you going to love someone else?”

“I believe I am,” Knightingale says. “I have that confidence, and I exude a positive attitude.”

Where to catch a drag show in the Bay Area:

Holiday shows

• The Golden Girls Live! The Christmas Episodes runs through December 22 at Victoria Theatre (2961 16th Street, 415–863–7576). Tickets are $30–$60 (goldengirlssf.com). The Golden Girls Live! will also be touring to 14 additional cities throughout the country next year.
• Two drag-queen favorites from RuPaul’s Drag Race, BenDeLaCreme and Jinx Monsoon, perform a lively holiday show called All I Want for Christmas Is Attention on December 28 at 8 p.m. at the Victoria Theatre (16th Street, 415–863–7576). Tickets are $39–$99 (victoriatheatre.org).

Year-round shows

• The Oasis features regular drag shows, some featuring performers from RuPaul’s Drag Race (298 11th Street, San Francisco, 415-795-3180, sfoasis.com).
• Club 1220 is home to Holotta’s Un-BOYlievable Drag Show on the first and third Sundays of the month as well as a new variety show and a monthly bingo event. Check their online calendar for more details (1220 Pine Street, Walnut Creek, 925-938-4550, club1220.com).
• The Port Bar in Oakland holds Karaoke for a Cause with a drag queen on Saturdays to support local charities, as well as other shows throughout the month (2023 Broadway Avenue, 510-823-2099, portbaroakland.com).
• Hamburger Mary’s features Friday and Saturday-night drag shows and drag brunches on weekends (531 Castro Street, 415–580–7145, hamburgermarys.com).
• The Lookout in the Castro District features weekend Lips and Lashes drag brunches with a rotating cast of drag queens, singers, and more. Saturday brunch begins at noon, with the show beginning at 1:30 p.m. (3600 16th Street, 415–431–0306, lookoutsf.com).
• The Kimpton Sir Francis Drake’s Starlight Room holds a drag brunch every Sunday. Doors open at 10 a.m., and the show begins at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $80 (415–395–8595). Reservations can be made online at starlightroomsf.com.