CASSELTON, N.D. - A makeup brush is like a magic wand in Shay Schmuck Johnson's hand, transforming working moms into Egyptian royalty, high-school students into Havana dancers, and men into women.

One performance night before a sparse crowd entered the bar, Will Lattman spent more than an hour perfecting his makeup. His eyes, flittering with fake eyelashes, took the longest. His transition from ...