Vallejo’s drag show on Mare Island is a 'hidden fantasy'

VALLEJO — When military drag queen Ariel Fantasea first started performing drag eight years ago, her stage was her own bedroom. But she dreamed of one day having a venue — and an enchanted audience — to call her own. 

“Being not only trans but also a military queen, it's very hard to get out there and be able to express yourself,” Ariel said, adding that she wanted to be the one to help break barriers for other queens. Just like her name, having her own show would be a way to live “my own fantasy,” said Ariel.

Now she co-creates and hosts a drag show called “Hidden Fantasea” on the first Friday night of every month at Redwood Empire Whiskey Bar on Mare Island. Captivated audiences cheer and wave dollar bills as drag queens in sparkling gowns, catsuits, and sky-high heels glide by tables, dancing and lipsyncing to a beat.

Ariel said her goal is to create an ethereal spectacle for audiences. Each show is co-produced by her and her husband Ren Lerager, who has a background in theater production. They also collaborate with bar manager KJ Joshi on every month’s theme and which performers to reach out to. 

It’s proved to be a fruitful partnership. Ariel first moved to Vallejo in 2024 and started reaching out to various bars and venues interested in hosting a drag show. Redwood Empire Whiskey Bar was the first one to answer the call last fall. 

“That was the sign,” Ariel said. 

Joshi said he was excited to partner with them because he had experience running different businesses and events in Oakland.

“We used to do a lot of similar events like drag nights, drag bingos, queer magic dance parties,” said Joshi. “So we’re trying to continue that culture here in Vallejo.” 

Ariel said producing a show almost feels easy because their team works so well together. “We have the right venue and the right people,” she said. “My husband is the co-producer, stage manager, and makes sure everyone stays in line and things go smoothly. Without him, I really wouldn’t have the show that I do now.” 

Ariel’s time at sea

Ariel’s military service has shaped who she is as a drag queen, and she’s crossed oceans to finally have a show to call her own.

She was born and raised in Ohio, and joined the U.S. Navy at 18 to get an education. She studied cybersecurity through the military’s online academy, and rose to the rank of Information Systems Technician, Second Class.

Ariel enjoyed the work, but drag remained her first love. As the Navy took her overseas to Bahrain, she drew inspiration from other military queens like Altesse Aurum, a trans queen who performed while serving in the Army, and Harpy Daniels, who performed aboard ships for fellow Navy sailors in the 2010s. 

Harpy Daniels’ performances, in particular, resonated with Ariel while she was out at sea.

“It really pushed me to be authentically me, and showed me that there are people like me out there in the military,” Ariel said. “I was only 18, joining the military and just sitting there looking at someone like, ‘Wow, I actually can be who I want to be.’”

At work, Ariel had a strong work ethic; her unit was aware of her drag, but she said they never gave her a hard time about it because she never let it impact her work as a technician.

“I told them all the time, ‘I keep my personal life at home, and I do my work at work,’” Ariel said.

But she also couldn’t be fully true to herself in public. She was in Bahrain, and this was also during President Donald Trump’s first term, when he passed the first ban on transgender individuals serving in the military. 

“I had to basically be discreet with who I was and who I was trying to be because at the time I was transitioning,” said Ariel, “but I couldn't really tell anyone. I wasn't allowed to even speak on it, or even dress the way I was supposed to. So it was really depressing during those three years.” 

Ariel said she felt much freer when she moved to San Diego. The Biden Administration also repealed the ban in 2021. 

“I started flourishing and being able to actually express myself,” she said. “Actually getting to fully tell my command who I am and my name, and starting my full transition process in the Navy was really rewarding.”

She moved to Vallejo in 2024, still working as an Information Systems Technician and performing in the evenings.

But then President Trump reinstated the ban the day he took office again last January. The Supreme Court upheld the ban in May.

“When I first heard about it, I broke down,” said Ariel. “It was a state of panic of, ‘What am I going to do? How could this happen?’”

It’s been eight months since Ariel has been out of work, kept on administrative absence and waiting for the final discharge notice. 

She said it was difficult watching her new command struggle to cover her role. She tried to find a way to return to work, but she wasn’t allowed to even be on the watch floor. “It was a really hard pill to swallow of ‘Oh, I actually can't do this and be there to help the new sailors,’” she said.

It’s been a painful experience, Ariel said, because she enjoyed the work and the people.

“When I first joined, I always said I would be getting out after my first tour. But here I am, nine years later,” said Ariel. “It truly was a family, and was something that I looked forward to every day.” 

With her military life in limbo, Ariel is focusing on finishing her cybersecurity degree, building up her production company, and finding joy where she can. 

“I know a lot of older people who were also either discharged or are not working right now, and it’s really hard for them. It’s been their whole life, and now it’s a complete stop,” Ariel said. “It can drive someone mad, but for me, it’s just pushed me to do something in a different direction and just keep going.”

Ariel and Lerager are determined to make “Hidden Fantasea” a success, continuously innovating on themes and bringing in both local and national drag performers. 

This Friday’s show will be their first ever drag kings performance — Lerager’s idea. Among the performers will be Atlanta-based drag king Pressure K, who starred on the show “Kings of Drag.”

Ariel and Lerager are also hosting a show at the Empress Theater on Mar. 27 that will involve dinner and performances by drag queens like Fae Tality, Dolly Romano, and Amelia Need Moore.

And as the months warm up, Ariel, Lerager, and Joshi hope that the Redwood Empire Whiskey Bar drag show will turn into something much larger.

Their intent is to have the drag show eventually take over the outside patio and be the main spectacle of a Vallejo version of Oakland First Fridays — the city’s free monthly street festival that features performances, music, food, and street vendors. Joshi estimates they can fit about 80 more seats outdoors, roughly double the seats inside the bar. 

Looking back at it all, Ariel doesn’t regret anything. 

“The military taught me time management and how to be professional … and drag has brought out how I feel inside,” she said. “I feel like even with all this going on, I still feel happy. I feel like I can be a bright light to people, and that's something that I love to do with my drag.”