Yahoo Lifestyle We Went Backstage at ‘Death Becomes Her’ with the ‘RuPaul's Drag Race’ Season 17 Cast
There's a moment in Death Becomes Her where Madeline Ashton announces who the special sponsor of the day is. It changes every show—spectacularly improved and decided by actress Megan Hilty—in the middle of a wild and surprising twist. And this time she decided to note that it was "sponsored" by none other than RuPaul's Drag Race which made the group around me jump up and scream in happiness.
"Wait, was that for us?!" asked Jewels Sparkles as the song ended. And, plot twist, it was!
Any time you get the chance to go see a Broadway show is something special, but there was a different kind of magic in the air happening at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre as the cast of RuPaul's Drag Race season 17 made a quick pit stop to catch the show. For some of them, it really brought the magic of theater and drag all together, especially for a show like Death Becomes Her.
"I actually kind of got into drag from community theater. I was auditioning for all these roles. But they're like, We can't cast you because of the gender you were born. I wanted to be Ursula so bad," Harmona Lisa told Cosmopolitan. "They're like, Oh, you can't be Ursula. But there's this thing called drag, maybe look into that. And my first like drag song was a musical theater song."
Kori King admitted, like some of the other cast members, that it was their first Broadway show ever. "I'm very excited to see how this turns out. I don't even know what this is about."
While some of the other cast members were left with their jaws on the floor that Kori had not seen the iconic campy film of the same name, this experience was different. Not only was it theater, but there was another special experience happening: a celebration of how drag and theater are merging more than ever before.
"I think drag is theater to begin with. People are finally realizing that drag has a place in professional theater with what Jinkx Monsoon is doing and with Peppermint before her," Suzie Toot pointed out. "Drag is becoming taken seriously on Broadway, which is so exciting. But it's also a gay pastime. So it's only natural that drag and theater exist in the same world."
The costumes got a special shoutout as the extravagant gowns, Mugler-like bodysuits, and lavish pieces stood out on stage.
"It's gonna be bodied down. Padded down. Paul Tazewell does not play. It's gonna be giving rhinestones. Drag. Gorgeous silhouette," Crystal Envy said of the show's costumes, designed by the same designer who just worked on the Wicked films.
After taking some selfies with some brand-new fans who realized just who exactly they were sitting next to, it truly became the best of both worlds as the RPDR queens headed backstage to meet the cast right after the show. Not only did they take some fun pics together, but they had some really good 1:1 time with the show's cast including Megan, Jennifer Simard, Michelle Williams, Josh Lamon and some members of the show's ensemble.
"My life has changed," said Lydia B Kollins. "Death Becomes Her is one of my favorite movies, so for that to be my first broadway show is fierce."
RuPaul's Drag Race season 17 is currently airing on MTV on Fridays at 8 PM ET/PT and 7 PM CT. Death Becomes Her is currently playing at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in New York City.
You Might Also Like
