HUNTINGTON -- Marshall University's Lambda Society is sponsoring a drag show from 7 to 9 p.m., Friday, April 2, to benefit Huntington's Harmony House.

The annual drag show, which will be in the student center's Don Morris Room, gives the students an opportunity to work together with partners in the community, including the Stonewall Club. The Stonewall is a gay-owned and operated club that will be providing some of the performers for the event.

The Lambda Society began as a gay organization, but has transformed into a group with a main mission of promoting equal rights for everyone, said president Todd Parks.

The non-greek group provides support for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and straight communities on campus, and focuses on educating people on the realities of being gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender.

"A drag show includes men or women who dress as the opposite sex for a theatric purpose. They will sing or lip-sync to prerecorded music. There will be lots of dancing, and lots of fun," Parks said. "It's a playful way for us to raise money on a stereotype."

Last year, more than 120 people came to the event, and the group was able to raise more than $600.

"We are hoping to at least match that this year," Parks said. The Don Morris room will be the group's largest venue, so there should be plenty of room for the event to grow.

This year's show will have nine to 10 entertainers, including people from both the Marshall community and from the Huntington community.

While there isn't a charge to come, people who donate $5 at the door will receive free admission Friday night to The Stonewall.

All tips given throughout the night will be donated to a pot that is split -- half goes into the group's funds for the event, and half will go straight to the Harmony House.

Harmony House is a multi-purpose shelter run by the Cabell-Huntington Coalition for the Homeless.

Each year, the organization chooses a different charity to support.

"We wanted to pick something that was a community issue over something that is just a gay rights issue," Parks said. "We also wanted to let the community know that we are interested in the same issues as everyone else."

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