New Orleans–born drag wrestling phenomenon Choke Hole brings its theatrical, high-impact spectacle to The Joy Theater for two nights on February 12 and 13. Blending camp drag aesthetics, WWE-style wrestling, sci-fi storytelling, and sharp political satire, the show follows alien media mogul Gorlëënyah as her wrestling empire descends into chaos. Here’s what to expect from Choke Hole’s two-night New Orleans run. Get tickets here.
New Orleans thrives on spectacle, satire, and performance that blurs every possible line — which makes Choke Hole feel right at home. On February 12 and 13, the cult-favorite drag wrestling phenomenon takes over The Joy Theater for two nights of theatrical combat, camp excess, and queer performance art rooted in the city’s underground scene.
At the center of this year’s production is a larger-than-life sci-fi narrative: when alien media mogul Gorlëënyah’s home planet explodes on live television, she reboots her celebrity wrestling empire on Earth — aided by her AI sex-bot, Visqueen. But as with any good melodrama, rivals emerge. A bitter ex-contestant and a jealous billionaire threaten to dismantle the spectacle and expose the toxic secret lurking beneath the glittering surface.
Choke Hole’s performances unfold like episodic theater, combining WWE-style wrestling, drag, burlesque, political satire, and controlled chaos into a single collision of bodies and ideas.
What Is Choke Hole?
Born in New Orleans’ underground queer party scene in 2018, Choke Hole has spent years redefining what wrestling — and drag — can be. The collective fuses camp aesthetics with physicality, delivering matches that are as humorous and confrontational as they are athletic. Expect backflips, body slams, fake blood, real sweat, and performers who understand that spectacle can be both absurd and deeply intentional.
Choke Hole’s irreverent tone often takes aim at contemporary politics, celebrity culture, and power dynamics, using exaggerated violence and over-the-top personas as commentary. The result is a show that feels both ridiculous and razor-sharp — proof that queer performance doesn’t just survive impact, it delivers it.
Since its inception, Choke Hole has expanded far beyond its DIY roots, appearing at major institutions and experimental spaces across the globe, including Las Vegas’ Area 15, Hamburg’s Kampnagel, Times Square Arts, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and MoMA PS1. Still, returning to New Orleans for a two-night run feels like a homecoming — especially during a season when the city already thrives on theatrical excess.
Two Nights at The Joy Theater
The Joy Theater’s grand interior provides an ideal stage for Choke Hole’s maximalist vision. Across two nights, audiences can expect a rotating lineup of drag wrestlers, villains, icons, and provocateurs — including Gorlëënyah, Visqueen, Jassy, RAID, Jocelyn Change, Miss Toto, Nicole’s Revenge, Laveau Contraire, Otto Von Blotto, Virginia Slimjim, Candy Pain, and Deep Sea Double.
Whether you’re a longtime fan or stepping into the ring for the first time, Choke Hole at The Joy promises a spectacle that’s loud, unapologetic, and uniquely New Orleans — equal parts camp, combat, and catharsis.
New Orleans–born drag wrestling phenomenon Choke Hole brings its theatrical, high-impact spectacle to The Joy Theater for two nights on February 12 and 13. Blending camp drag aesthetics, WWE-style wrestling, sci-fi storytelling, and sharp political satire, the show follows alien media mogul Gorlëënyah as her wrestling empire descends into chaos. Here’s what to expect from Choke Hole’s two-night New Orleans run. Get tickets here.
New Orleans thrives on spectacle, satire, and performance that blurs every possible line — which makes Choke Hole feel right at home. On February 12 and 13, the cult-favorite drag wrestling phenomenon takes over The Joy Theater for two nights of theatrical combat, camp excess, and queer performance art rooted in the city’s underground scene.
At the center of this year’s production is a larger-than-life sci-fi narrative: when alien media mogul Gorlëënyah’s home planet explodes on live television, she reboots her celebrity wrestling empire on Earth — aided by her AI sex-bot, Visqueen. But as with any good melodrama, rivals emerge. A bitter ex-contestant and a jealous billionaire threaten to dismantle the spectacle and expose the toxic secret lurking beneath the glittering surface.
Choke Hole’s performances unfold like episodic theater, combining WWE-style wrestling, drag, burlesque, political satire, and controlled chaos into a single collision of bodies and ideas.
What Is Choke Hole?
Born in New Orleans’ underground queer party scene in 2018, Choke Hole has spent years redefining what wrestling — and drag — can be. The collective fuses camp aesthetics with physicality, delivering matches that are as humorous and confrontational as they are athletic. Expect backflips, body slams, fake blood, real sweat, and performers who understand that spectacle can be both absurd and deeply intentional.
Choke Hole’s irreverent tone often takes aim at contemporary politics, celebrity culture, and power dynamics, using exaggerated violence and over-the-top personas as commentary. The result is a show that feels both ridiculous and razor-sharp — proof that queer performance doesn’t just survive impact, it delivers it.
Since its inception, Choke Hole has expanded far beyond its DIY roots, appearing at major institutions and experimental spaces across the globe, including Las Vegas’ Area 15, Hamburg’s Kampnagel, Times Square Arts, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and MoMA PS1. Still, returning to New Orleans for a two-night run feels like a homecoming — especially during a season when the city already thrives on theatrical excess.
Two Nights at The Joy Theater
The Joy Theater’s grand interior provides an ideal stage for Choke Hole’s maximalist vision. Across two nights, audiences can expect a rotating lineup of drag wrestlers, villains, icons, and provocateurs — including Gorlëënyah, Visqueen, Jassy, RAID, Jocelyn Change, Miss Toto, Nicole’s Revenge, Laveau Contraire, Otto Von Blotto, Virginia Slimjim, Candy Pain, and Deep Sea Double.
Whether you’re a longtime fan or stepping into the ring for the first time, Choke Hole at The Joy promises a spectacle that’s loud, unapologetic, and uniquely New Orleans — equal parts camp, combat, and catharsis.
Get tickets here.
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