One of the first laws passed by the Tennessee General Assembly this year regulates drag shows by criminalizing “cabaret adult entertainment” that is performed in public or in front of minors. Conservatives who support the law say the performances expose minors to unacceptable sexual topics, a claim that proponents reject. Republican Senator Jack Johnson, who sponsored the Tennessee law, said the law was intended to “ensure that children are not present at sexually explicit performances.”

In response, Memphis-based theater company Friends of George’s filed a federal lawsuit alleging that the law violated First Amendment rights. A federal judge agreed that the law was “vague and overbroad”, which temporarily blocked it from going into effect. Tennessee law requires drag performers to “eat the notorious mushroom to see if it’s poisonous,” U.S. District Judge Thomas Parker wrote in a ruling issued March 31, the day before the law was due to go into effect.

For now, drag performances may avoid scrutiny by the law due to the extension of the order. Once this extension expires May 26, however, first offenders are at risk of misdemeanor, and any subsequent offenses will be considered a felony. While the law does not explicitly ban drag shows, its broad language could endanger performers such as DuBalle.

And yet there is some irony in how a law trying to abolish drag and drop has brought art to the forefront, DuBal said. While the law itself has yet to fill the hall – Atomic Rose already has brunch-only standing room – according to general manager Charlie Barnett, the number of young patrons has tripled every Sunday.

The audience flocked to the drag queens, eager to tip before the show actually started.

“This is what the world needs most,” said Jennifer Iverson, explaining why she brought her young daughter to the Sunday show. “Everyone is so nice and the people are so friendly and I don’t see anything wrong with it in any way, shape or form.”

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