(Photo from The Plaza Live’s Facebook)
ORLANDO | Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration has begun the process to revoke the liquor license of The Plaza Live over the theater hosting a Christmas-themed drag event in December that was attended by minors.
The Department of Business and Professional Regulation, division of alcoholic beverages and tobacco, filed a formal, six-count complaint Feb. 3 against the Orlando Philharmonic Plaza Foundation, the organization that operates The Plaza Live, alleging that the theater knowingly exposed children to “sexually explicit content” during “A Drag Queen Christmas” on Dec. 28.
The complaint alleges that children, some “appearing to be less than 6 years of age,” were welcomed into the show which contained drag performers “wearing sexually suggestive clothing and prosthetic female genitalia.” The complaint goes on to state that the show featured “numerous segments where performers engaged in acts of sexual conduct, simulated sexual activity, and lewd, vulgar, and indecent displays.”
The Plaza Live management did hang a notice at the theater’s entrance, according to the complaint, that stated “While we are not restricting access to anyone under 18 please be advised some may think the context is not appropriate for under 18.”
The complaint states that while this notice was hung on the doors of the theater, the website’s event information stated “All ages welcome.” The complaint is accompanied by several photos from the show as well as pictures of minors who appear to have attended.
While this is the eighth consecutive year that “A Drag Queen Christmas” has played at The Plaza Live, this is the first time the state has attempted to punish the theater for hosting it.
The DBPR sent a letter to The Plaza Live ahead of the show in December stating that if they allowed minors into the show that “you are putting your license in jeopardy.”
“To avoid action being taken against your license, it is your obligation to ensure that minors are prohibited from attending the Drag Fans drag show,” the original letter stated. “If minors are allowed to attend this drag show, the Department will take any and all actions available to ensure that you do not pose a threat to minors in the future.”
Similar letters were sent to theaters throughout the state who hosted the same show.
The complaint states that The Plaza Live has 21 days to request a hearing to challenge the charges in the complaint.
The venue and the organization that owns it has yet to comment on the complaint.
