Tag Archives: Theatre World

Theatrical outing last night—Saw The Divine Sister, set in a convent school, written by and starring Charles Busch, who’s got the Midas touch for creating campy spoofs loaded with old-movie references.

 

Busch, second from left, with cast members.

 

The play is definitely amusing, but honestly I like my nuns a little more raw.

One my earliest drag influences was Hapi Phace, and it was her provocative nunsense that I first came to know and love.

 

Hapi and Chris... What's under that habit?

 

At least he's not molesting a kid!

 

Ah, Hapi Phace… such a divine sister.

 

P.S.  My theatre companion last night was performer Angela Di Carlo, who will just strangle me if I don’t mention her next show at Joe’s Pub!

 

(Photos of Hapi and Chris by Linda Simpson)

As long as I’ve been writing about old Times Square lately…

This past weekend I caught The Ultimate Drag Off, a weekly pageant fabulously hosted by my pal Sweetie at the Times Square Arts Center.

On stage, after the show.

Hoo-boy, if those Arts Center walls could talk!  The space used to be the porn palace Show World.  And I used to work there!

 

“Big Top” was the name of the party I promoted for a short while—I brought the drag shows, management supplied the go-go boys—in a gorgeous showroom with zillions of flashing lights.  The rest of Show World, all four floors, was an X-rated playground, and it was hilarious and thrilling to be part of such a naughty atmosphere.

Come into the light...!
Creamy skin! Misstress Formika and a dancer.
The beautiful people! Daisy, Lamar, Christie Love and pal.
Flloyd greets a dancer.
Afrodite strikes a pose.
Francine and the dazzling ceiling.
Chi-Chi LaRue, Misstress Formika, Sweetie, Faux Pas

The places may change, but the drag queens endure forever and ever…

It was so worth it to venture into the cold last night to catch One Man Show, in which “female female impersonator” World Famous *BOB* shares her colorful life story.  (More info at her website.)

I saw the show in its infancy, and since then it has been molded into a really great performance piece about the joys, challenges and absolute necessity of self transformation.  In Bob’s case, a rebellious yet eternally optimistic farm girl (with big boobs) plunges head first into Hollywood gay culture, San Francisco’s drag-queen scene, New York’s decadent nightlife and the world of burlesque.

Not only does she join the ranks of her new-found communities, she becomes a shining star!

Hosting at the old Cock, on Avenue A.
Performing at the "new" Cock.

Compared to most people’s lives, Bob’s journey has been freaky, shocking even.  But she recalls her unconventional adventures in such an upbeat manner that they become delightful and empowering fairy tales.  Even the yuppies in the audience were laughing with glee.

I’d love to see a sequel.  I know Bob has got many more tales to tell!

GLAAD (The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) has just announced the nominees for its annual media awards ceremony on March 19th.

Among those vying for the Off-Off Broadway award is my longtime pal Vaginal Davis for her conceptual talk show, Vaginal Davis is Speaking from the Diaphragm, presented at PS 122.

Interviewing Brian Kenny and Gio Black Peter

Talk about sweet irony!  Just weeks before the show opened last June, Vaginal informed PS 122 that her artistic temperament had been offended and she was backing out.  The show would not go on!  But after some intense negotiations, she agreed to take to the stage.  And now she’s up for a big homosexual award!

Chinese fortune cookie moral of the story: Drag queen path often bumpy, but at end is gay reward.

She was a lioness!

Ellen Stewart, founder of NYC’s legendary La MaMa Theater (in 1962) and champion of the offbeat and avant-garde, has died at age 91.

By the time I made my playwright debut at La Mama in 2008 with The Bad Hostess, she wasn’t around on a daily basis.  But her presence was strongly felt.  For one thing, she insisted that the color green (unlucky!) be devoid from her stage.  (And my play was set at Christmas!)

But I did see her frequently at La MaMa throughout the years.  It was a tradition for her to introduce shows, and her commanding presence made it clear that she was queen of her domain.

Scores of performers, including myself, bow down to her in honor.   Thank you, Ms. Stewart, for allowing us to do our own thing!

Who’s the chick on the cover of the new issue of Next, the NYC gay nightlife magazine?

OMG!  It’s postmodern drag queen Taylor Mac, who normally serves surrealism.

For Next, photographer–makeup artist Karl Giant transformed her into a sexy glamour gal.   “I thought I’d give them fish,” says Taylor.

 

 

Her versatility has me absolutely green with envy.  After all these years I’m still trying to achieve cunty realness!

Miss Mac is promoting a new show, The Walk Across America for Mother Earth, at LaMaMa Theater.  It comes after her triumphant summer extravaganza, Lily’s Revenge, which I adored.

Pretty and talented Taylor Mac.  I’m gonna cut that bitch!