Florida’s attorney general is pressuring the City of Pensacola to cancel an upcoming Christmas-themed drag queen show.
The show, titled “A Drag Queen Christmas,” is a touring production performed in several cities. It is an adults-only show featuring well-known drag performers. It fuses campy adult comedy with lip-synced and live performances, dance numbers, and costumes built around Christmas themes.
The performance in Pensacola is set for December 23 at the city-owned Saenger Theatre. However, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is hoping to convince the city council to call off the show. He wrote a letter to the council saying the show “openly mocks one of the most sacred holidays in the Christian faith.”
Uthmeier highlights performers described as the “Demon Queen of Seattle,” “demonic Betty Bop,” and one who makes satanic imagery “glamorous and beautiful.” He characterized the show as “openly anti-Christian” and pointed out that it will be held near the city’s family Winterfest, where children will be attending.
“So, while Pensacola children are taking pictures with Santa, men dressed as garish women in demonic costumes will be engaged in obscene behavior mere feet away,” he wrote.
The attorney general notes that the Saenger Theatre is owned by the city, but managed by Legends Global. The management agreement allows the city to “review and approve the kind and quality of events” and notes that the city would “consider exercising its reserved authority if it were determined that a proposed event would be injurious to the public health, safety, or general welfare of the community.”
This means that the city could cancel the production. “While the First Amendment safeguards freedom of expression, it does not require a city to platform and endorse disgusting, obscene content that denigrates its residents’ religious beliefs,” Uthmeier wrote. “Permitting a drag show at a city-owned theatre that openly disparages Christian bliefs is not only an affront to your Christian residents, but it may subject the City to further legal scrutiny.”
He further suggested that allowing the show to proceed could “amount to religious discrimination” and “constitute a public nuisance.”
Suzie Toot looks ravishing at the conclusion of A Drag Queen Christmas in Columbus, OH. pic.twitter.com/CKzXo5mKzm
— Toot Crave (@TootCrave) November 22, 2025
Enjoy a clip from Suzie’s Harlequin number from A Drag Queen Christmas in Morristown. pic.twitter.com/W2mgMeMexP
— Toot Crave (@TootCrave) November 17, 2025
However, city officials previously argued the opposite, saying that canceling the show could violate the First Amendment, according to WUWF:
Uthmeier’s position directly conflicts with the advice City Attorney Adam Cobb gave council members in September. Cobb warned that canceling the booking could violate the First Amendment and expose the city to significant contractual liability—a recommendation he described as “emphatic and unequivocal.”
Residents have come out on both sides of this issue, with some calling for the event to be canceled and others saying it would violate freedom of expression.
Critics contend that the show is inappropriate and offensive to Christians. Local churches circulated petitions and gathered its members for prayer meetings.
Supporters also point out that the theater has hosted other shows with adult themes. Moreover, there is little risk of children being exposed to the content because attendees are required to purchase tickets and show they are 18 years old or more.