For one Plainfield drag queen, her inspiration is Mister Rogers

For drag show performer Summer Kornfeind, the main inspiration behind her storytime performance was not RuPaul or “Drag Race” alums such as Shangela on “Dancing with the Stars,” but a decidedly less audacious persona: Mister Rogers.

“I grew up on Mister Rogers and ‘Reading Rainbow,’ ” Kornfeind said. “That’s what I want to emulate [in my shows]: How can we make this fun and learn a new book? Getting kids and parents excited about books is really cool.”

Kornfeind, who lives in Plainfield and goes by the stage name Candi Forest, described herself as a “camp queen.” She said she takes part in adult shows, but she also embraces the sillier, goofier aspects of performing that can be appreciated by all ages.

The performers who spoke with Shaw Local News Network described a variety of reasons for getting into drag, either as an extension of their queer identity or as a way to play into their strengths as a performer.

“For me, it’s all about what I can do to make people laugh when I am up there,” Kornfeind said. She loved the “transformative” opportunities behind drag, which could mean Mother Goose or a dinosaur as much as a burlesque dancer.

Jacob Welch said his show at Jerry’s Sandwiches in Lincoln Square, “Jerry Tales,” involves a singalong brunch, scratch art and balloon animals. Although Welch said he fell in love with “Mrs. Doubtfiring” and being a children’s entertainer, he also emphasized the positive experience that the family audience has with his show.

“These kids have the best time,” said Welch, who goes by Ginger Forest when performing. “Kids see our confidence, and it gives them confidence. That’s really important.”

Joel Filmore, a clinical professor at Northern Illinois University who performs at the Martini Lounge in Elgin under the stage name Moana Lotte, said there is value in presenting positive queer role models to a younger audience, especially to those who already have begun questioning their sexuality.

“I started [doing drag] before it was called drag, before I knew it was drag,” Filmore said, adding that he began putting on his grandmother’s makeup when he was 13. “We didn’t talk about those things when I was a kid. I thought I looked pretty, and I dressed up in secret, but I thought God had made a mistake.”

Filmore described himself as a “theater kid” and discovered drag – “a match made in heaven” – when he moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, at the age of 18. Filmore said he’s performed professionally on and off, starting in Grand Rapids, since 1988.

“I love performing,” Filmore said, describing his Martini Lounge show as a mix of standup comedy and crowd work. “I am not there to be in heels for no reason. I am there to entertain.”