Queens of Couture

This story originally appeared in our March 2017 Expressions Issue.

Nick Amundson strolled into Smokey Row, Des Moines in a honeycomb black-and-white sweater paired with blue dress pants. He looked a little like Sherlock Holmes with his rounded glasses and well-groomed hair. “For the record, this is Nick Amundson,” he said into the voice recorder with a slight giggle. This look was a vast change from his regular drag ensemble—a beautiful ballgown and full, large wig.

Flashback about three years ago, and Nick—otherwise known as Kata Klysmic—was stepping on stage for the first time. “She’s not a character, she’s just me,” Amundson said.

As the lights go up on the Garden Nightclub’s circular stage, Kata Klysmic comes out from behind the curtain in a signature elegant ensemble. In an instant, the lights start flashing and the music starts playing. The lipsync has begun, and Shakira’s “Hips Don’t Lie” plays over the loudspeakers. Kata Klysmic kills the lipsync and the dance, sending the crowd into an eruption of cheers and claps. “I do it for fun. It’s a theatrical thing,” Amundson said.

The birth of Kata Klysmic marked an important milestone in the personal and career development of Amundson, who is now a prominent set designer and producer in the Des Moines area. He also owns his own theater company, Kata Klysmic Productions. Amundson works to “bring about a fundamental change,” which is the definition of cataclysmic. His theater works allow new individuals in the Des Moines community to direct, design and choreograph, hoping to offer a change in the Des Moines community and bring in fresh voices. Through his productions of “Reefer Madness” and “Little Shop of Horrors,” he has created a vast number of opportunities for individuals to get their start in the Des Moines theater community.

Kata Klysmic has not only opened a variety of doors for Amundson—she has also helped him discover his own identity. Kata Klysmic is just an extension of Amundson’s normal personality, and she is a way for him to be sassier and wittier than he is in everyday life. “She made me more outgoing and boisterous,” Amundson said. “ My sharp wit, which is slightly dull, has gotten better. She enhanced my own comic timing. It helped me go from being a wallflower to being someone who can speak up.”

That is what drag does for a wide variety of people. It can be a therapeutic art form that allows people to express themselves and find their personal identities in ways they never deemed imaginable. Amundson highlighted this at length. “A lot of people in the trans community once did drag to feel more comfortable, and it makes it a safe playing field,” Amundson said. “That’s what a gay bar is supposed to be, a haven for everyone to truly be themselves.”  

First-year RTVF major Zury Cutler also articulates how important drag is for identity saying, “Whatever dance is to the human body, drag is to the construct of gender.” For Cutler, drag had a different effect on his identity. Cutler often performs as his alter ego, Willow Cinerea Penumbra, and states that Willow and the drag community has allowed him to really open up about his body image. “It’s a forum where it’s acceptable to tell men that they have amazing bodies. It’s something that’s not very common in today’s society.” Cutler also emphasized how important drag is in the gay community.

While drag and gay nightclubs allow some individuals to come to terms with their personal identities, they also highlight the identities of individual drag queens. Through the show “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” it is easy to get a taste of how each individual queen has a personality and style. Queen Bianca del Rio specifically emphasizes the comedy aspect of drag, spitting witty zingers and overdramatizing her makeup. Milk’s looks tend to feature a costume or gimmick, one time including an unexpected pregnancy and a Pinocchio nose. Queen Courtney Act takes a more elegant and modelesque approach to drag—she more closely resembles a biological female—stunning in shimmering ball gowns and lingerie. The point? Each drag queen is uniquely herself, and each drag queen has her special persona. And a lot of times, that identity is incredibly important to the identity of the individual.

Kata Klysmic can be defined in three words: accepting, explosive and unique, according to Amundson. She can always be caught in elegant gowns, formal wear and of course, three pairs of dancer tights. “I really hate shaving my legs,” said Amundson. She also wears hip pads to give her an hourglass figure, because Adumson described himself as a “bean pole.” Kata Klysmic loves high hair, lashes and leotards. When creating a drag look, Amundson said, “the whole goal is to hide imperfections.” This has worked for Amundson, as he and Kata have won Miss Blazing Saddle and Miss Gay Iowa, both prominent awards for drag queens in Iowa. Being true to his personal identity and Kata’s identity has worked and has truly helped to “bring about a fundamental change” in his life. And while Kata Klysmic is an extensive of Amundson, Willow is a character for Cutler. “She’s hyper-intelligent, hipster, and alcoholic,” said Cutler with a giggle. “She’s a college student, and I think she’ll always be a college student.” Cutler goes on to elaborate that she is the one who quotes Hemingway, without making it seem like it is a big deal, and she also gets way too drunk on weekends. “If I were a woman, that’s the person I’d aspire to be.” For Cutler, drag started as something his friends pressured him into doing. They thought he would be good at it, so he went for it. Now, Willow makes regular appearances, and it is more of a hobby for Cutler. “I always wanted to be the center of attention,” Cutler said. Now, with Willow, he can be.

For Amundson and Culter, drag was the answer. Just like each drag queen develops their own persona, every person finds themselves in their own way. But let’s be honest: it is a lot more fun in a wig and heels.