When it comes to theatrical shows, it’ll come as no surprise to anyone, that I’m a musical loving gay. I love Broadway musicals but prefer off Broadway productions even more. Off Broadway tends to be funnier and more nonconforming so give me a low-rent, off-color production any day. Back in 2007 I saw my first, and so far favorite, off Broadway show, At Least It’s Pink, starring diva Bridget Everett. That started my love of off Broadway theater and Bridget herself.
(Side note: Earlier this month I got to meet Bridget and get my lobby card signed. Another dream come true crossed off My Bucket List.)
The latest off Broadway show to hit my radar is Drag: The Musical. With a name like that I assumed it’d be my thing. Its created by Rupaul’s Drag Race alum Alaska Thunderfuck who also stars in the show, record producer / songwriter Tomas Costanza, and musical diva / songwriter Ash Gordon who’s a huge ally of the drag community. Gay icon and unexpected producer Liza Minnelli brings a little something to the show, as only she can. Throw in a few more former Drag Race queens (Jan Sport, Jujubee and Luxx Noir London) and New Kid On The Block Joey McIntyre and I was sold.
The staging is subtle and understated in Drag: The Musical
Last Sunday afternoon, I had a tenth row center seat to the show, thanks to my partner scoring me a rush ticket ($44) online while I was on the train to New York City. (Side note: Off Broadway shows tend to be more reasonable than Broadway, but if you want to do any show on a budget, look into lottery or rush tickets the day before and the TKTS booth in Times Square or theater box offices the day of) The show is almost two hours with no intermission and is the story of two battling drag clubs across the street from each other. Its all the best parts of a drag show but with a bigger budget and theatrical flair. The queens serve non-stop face and humor, the outfits and wigs are characters themselves, and the catchy music with off-color lyrics complete the full package. The only place it differs is that these queens don’t lip sync, they sing, and do it well. The whole cast is amazing and bring heart to the show, along with the laughs.
I had a couple hours to kill between leaving the theater and my evening performance of another musical Teeth, also showing at New World Stages (340 W 50th St.) which is a converted cineplex with five smallish underground theaters that seat two to five hundred people each, so I hung around the stage door to get autographs. Almost the entire cast came out over the next hour and gladly signed Playbills and took pics. Then I grabbed some Chinese with a side of salmonella. (Side note: If it’s dinner time in the city and you find an empty restaurant, don’t think it’s luck, it’s really just a front for food poisoning) Luckily, I didn’t learn that lesson until later that evening, back at my hotel.
Even food poisoning won’t keep me from getting autographs
Or making my 7:00PM performance of Teeth. My seat was front row center, located in the “Splash Zone” and came with a warning that I could be splattered with fake blood and water…which did happen multiple times. I guess I will do whatever it takes for a cheap ticket, after all, it was only $48. The show’s website says they’ve since extended the Splash Zone and special pricing to the first five rows.
At least my seat came with a stylish poncho.
Teeth is based on the 2007 cult movie classic (which I saw years ago) and is billed as a “coming-of-rage musical comedy.” Teeth is the story of an extremely religious teenage girl who is learning to cope with her budding sexuality and the protective and sausage-starved teeth in her vagina. That’s not a musical you see every day. The musical has a lot to say about religion and the patriarchy, which is one in the same at times, and has a pro-feminist stance which I am all about. I also like a musical with a message that can make me laugh and think at the same time.
Only in New York City could I walk back to my hotel with blood on my face, glasses and in my hair and nobody gives a second glance.
Drag: The Musical and Teeth are very different productions but the talent and musical numbers are outstanding in both. Where the humor in Drag: The Musical is campy and light, the humor in Teeth is much darker but just as funny. The overall message of both is coexistence, Drag: The Musical sashays into it with glitter bombs and boas and Teeth battles for it using revenge and detached penises. Seeing supportive families leave Drag: The Musical with their teenaged gaybies and having a little fake blood in my eye from Teeth, I was teary-eyed. Which is a sign of great theater, in my gay opinion.
