Drag: The Musical

{{Short description|Off-broadway musical about drag arts}}

{{Use American English|date=October 2024}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}

{{Infobox musical

| name = Drag: The Musical

| image = Drag_The_Musical_Off_Broadway_Poster.png

| image_size =

| caption = Off-Broadway promotional poster

| music = Tomas Costanza
Justin Andrew Honard
Ash Gordon

| lyrics = Tomas Costanza
Justin Andrew Honard
Ash Gordon

| book = Tomas Costanza
Justin Andrew Honard
Ash Gordon

| productions = 2022 Los Angeles
2024 Off-Broadway

| premiere_date = 23 September 2022

| premiere_location = The Bourbon Room, Los Angeles

| awards = 2024 Queerty Award for Live Theater

}}

Drag: The Musical is an Off-Broadway musical with music, lyrics and book by Tomas Costanza, Ash Gordon, and winner of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars season 2 Alaska Thunderfuck.{{Cite web |last=Malkin |first=Marc |date=2024-02-08 |title=New Kids on the Block's Joey McIntyre Returns to 'Drag: The Musical' (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2024/scene/columns/new-kids-on-the-block-joey-mcintyre-drag-the-musical-show-1235902121/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=Variety |language=en-US |archive-date=July 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240706072728/https://variety.com/2024/scene/columns/new-kids-on-the-block-joey-mcintyre-drag-the-musical-show-1235902121/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=DRAG: The Musical |url=https://www.broadway.com/shows/drag-the-musical/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=Broadway.com |language=en |archive-date=November 20, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241120190648/https://www.broadway.com/shows/drag-the-musical/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2024-10-21 |title=This New Musical About Drag Queens Has Lots Of Sequins And Sass. It Might Make You Cry, Too. |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/drag-the-musical-alaska-nyc_n_671482eae4b0ae82147fc7dc |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=HuffPost |language=en}}

Background

Drag: The Musical was originally released as a concept album written by Alaska Thunderfuck, Tomas Costanza, and Ash Gordon.{{Cite web |last=Patrick |first=Bobby |title=Album Review: From Page To Stage In 6 Inch Heels DRAG: THE MUSICAL (STUDIO RECORDING) Offers Up Real Treats From Some Drag Tricks |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Album-Review-From-Page-To-Stage-In-6-Inch-Heels-DRAG-THE-MUSICAL-STUDIO-RECORDING-Offers-Up-Real-Treats-From-Some-Drag-Tricks-20220918 |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=BroadwayWorld |language=en |archive-date=September 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230930022039/https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Album-Review-From-Page-To-Stage-In-6-Inch-Heels-DRAG-THE-MUSICAL-STUDIO-RECORDING-Offers-Up-Real-Treats-From-Some-Drag-Tricks-20220918 |url-status=live }} In May 2022, Drag: The Musical (Studio Cast Recording) was released, and featured Alaska Thunderfuck, Bob the Drag Queen, Divina de Campo, Ginger Minj, Jujubee, Lagoona Bloo, Peppermint, Monét X Change, Margaret Cho, Fortune Feimster, Michelle Visage, Max von Essen, and Nick Adams.{{Cite magazine |last=Daw |first=Stephen |date=2022-04-12 |title='Drag Race' Alum Alaska Is Bringing Theatrics to the Studio With 'Drag: The Musical' Album |url=https://www.billboard.com/culture/pride/alaska-drag-the-musical-announcement-1235058378/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US |archive-date=April 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220412180725/https://www.billboard.com/culture/pride/alaska-drag-the-musical-announcement-1235058378/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Margaret |first=Hall |date=2022-04-13 |title=Peppermint, Nick Adams, Max Von Essen, More Featured on Drag: The Musical Studio Album |url=https://playbill.com/article/peppermint-nick-adams-max-von-essen-more-featured-on-drag-the-musical-studio-album |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=Playbill |archive-date=June 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240619133235/https://playbill.com/article/peppermint-nick-adams-max-von-essen-more-featured-on-drag-the-musical-studio-album |url-status=live }}

Productions

= Los Angeles (2022–2024) =

A workshop version of the show was held in June 2022.{{Cite web |last=Urban |first=Sasha |date=2022-06-08 |title=Alaska 5000, Trixie Mattel, Monét X Change to Perform at the Bourbon Room for L.A. Pride 2022 |url=https://variety.com/2022/scene/news/alaska-5000-trixie-mattel-bourbon-room-la-pride-1235287414/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=Variety |language=en-US |archive-date=June 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220628000612/https://variety.com/2022/scene/news/alaska-5000-trixie-mattel-bourbon-room-la-pride-1235287414/ |url-status=live }} The first official run started at the Bourbon Room on Hollywood Boulevard in September 2022, concluding the following month.{{Cite web |last=Culwell-Block |first=Logan |date=2022-08-17 |title=Drag Race Star Alaska's DRAG: The Musical Sets World Premiere at Hollywood's Bourbon Room |url=https://playbill.com/article/drag-race-star-alaskas-drag-the-musical-sets-world-premiere-at-hollywoods-bourbon-room?_gl=1*1e6bwl5*_ga*NzE1MDA5MjYuMTcyOTg5MzExNg..*_ga_WXGC9EXCCR*MTcyOTg5MzExNi4xLjEuMTcyOTg5MzcyOC4wLjAuMA..*_ga_DNG0Q044X6*MTcyOTg5MzExNi4xLjEuMTcyOTg5MzcyOC42MC4wLjA. |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=Playbill |archive-date=December 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241201011500/https://playbill.com/article/drag-race-star-alaskas-drag-the-musical-sets-world-premiere-at-hollywoods-bourbon-room?_gl=1*1e6bwl5*_ga*NzE1MDA5MjYuMTcyOTg5MzExNg..*_ga_WXGC9EXCCR*MTcyOTg5MzExNi4xLjEuMTcyOTg5MzcyOC4wLjAuMA..*_ga_DNG0Q044X6*MTcyOTg5MzExNi4xLjEuMTcyOTg5MzcyOC42MC4wLjA. |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last= |title="Scene in LA" October 2022 by Steve Zall and Sid Fish – All Beverly Hills |url=https://www.allbeverlyhills.com/2022/10/01/scene-in-la-october-2022-by-steve-zall-and-sid-fish/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |language=en-US |archive-date=October 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221001091405/http://www.allbeverlyhills.com/2022/10/01/scene-in-la-october-2022-by-steve-zall-and-sid-fish/ |url-status=live }} In March 2024, they returned for a two-week run.{{Cite magazine |last=Daw |first=Stephen |date=2023-12-13 |title=Alaska's 'DRAG: The Musical' Is Returning to Hollywood This Spring |url=https://www.billboard.com/culture/pride/drag-the-musical-alaska-returning-hollywood-1235553601/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}

= Off-Broadway (2024–2025) =

On October 21, 2024, Drag: The Musical debuted Off-Broadway at the New World Stages.{{Cite web |title='Drag: The Musical' ready for NYC after slaying audiences in LA |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/news/drag-the-musical-ready-for-nyc-after-slaying-audiences-in-la/ar-AA1sJ5YJ |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=New York Daily News |archive-date=December 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241201004627/https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/news/drag-the-musical-ready-for-nyc-after-slaying-audiences-in-la/ar-AA1sJ5YJ |url-status=live }} Liza Minnelli was announced as a producer ahead of the premiere, and was featured in an audio prologue.{{Cite web |last=Wratten |first=Marcus |date=2024-10-02 |title=Liza Minnelli to produce Drag Race star's musical |url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/10/02/liza-minnelli-returns-to-theatre-to-produce-drag-race-stars-musical/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=PinkNews |language=en-US |archive-date=October 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241004121301/https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/10/02/liza-minnelli-returns-to-theatre-to-produce-drag-race-stars-musical/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2024-10-22 |title=Review: Drag: The Musical Is an Explosion of Feathers and Sequins Off-Broadway - TheaterMania.com |url=https://www.theatermania.com/news/review-drag-the-musical-is-an-explosion-of-feathers-and-sequins-off-broadway_1753439/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |language=en-US}} While the show generally received positive reviews from the critics, TheWrap and New York Theater Guide noted that the ending was unsatisfying, and that the show could trim the fluff.{{Cite web |last=Hofler |first=Robert |date=2024-10-22 |title='Drag: The Musical' Off Broadway Review: When Boys Just Want to Have Fun |url=https://www.thewrap.com/drag-the-musical-off-broadway-review/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=TheWrap |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Fimmano |first=Austin |date=2024-10-21 |title='Drag: The Musical' review — long live the drag queens |url=https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/reviews/drag-the-musical-off-broadway-review |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=New York Theatre Guide |language=en}} They ended the run on April 27, 2025.{{cite web | last=Culwell-Block | first=Logan | title=Drag: The Musical Sets Final Performance Off-Broadway; London Is Next | website=Playbill | date=February 25, 2025 | url=https://playbill.com/article/drag-the-musical-sets-final-performance-off-broadway-london-is-next | access-date=April 22, 2025}}{{Cite web |last=Morrison |first=Tony |date=2025-02-25 |title=‘DRAG: The Musical’ Announces Final Off-Broadway Performance, Hints at Plans for London Production {{!}} GLAAD |url=https://glaad.org/drag-the-musical-announces-final-off-broadway-performance-2025/#:~:text=DRAG:%20The%20Musical,%20the%20glittering,215%20performances%20and%2024%20previews. |access-date=2025-02-28 |website=glaad.org |language=en-US}}

Casts

class="wikitable" style="width:100; text-align:center;"
Character

! Los Angeles 2022{{Cite web |last=Wiltbank |first=Michael |date=2022-10-06 |title=Get a First Look at Joey McIntyre, Alaska, Nick Adams, More in DRAG: The Musical |url=https://playbill.com/article/get-a-first-look-at-joey-mcintyre-alaska-nick-adams-more-in-drag-the-musical |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=Playbill |archive-date=July 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240717161147/https://playbill.com/article/get-a-first-look-at-joey-mcintyre-alaska-nick-adams-more-in-drag-the-musical |url-status=live }}

! colspan="3" | Off-Broadway 2024{{Cite web |title=CAST |url=https://dragthemusical.com/cast |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=Drag the Musical |language=en-US}}

Kitty Galloway

| colspan="3" | Alaska Thunderfuck

|Jimbo

Alexis Gillmore

| colspan="4" | Nick Adams

Tom Hutchinson

| colspan="3" | Joey McIntyre

|Adam Pascal

Drunk Jerry

| Jamie Torcellini

| colspan="3" | Eddie Korbich

Gloria Schmidt

| colspan="4" rowspan="2" | J. Elaine Marcos

| Lisa Helmi Johanson

Rita LaRitz
Savannah St. James

| colspan="4" | Jan Sport

The Tigress

| colspan="4" | Jujubee

Tuna Turner

| colspan="4" | Lagoona Bloo

Dixie Coxworth

|Alysha Deslorieux

|Britney Campbell

|Bre Jackson

|Liisi LaFontaine

| Tamika Lawrence

Popcorn

| Jackie Cox

| Manila Luzon

| colspan="2" | Luxx Noir London

Puss Puss DuBois

| colspan="4" |Nick Laughlin

Brendan Hutchinson

|Kayden Koshelev

| colspan="3" |Remi Tuckman & Yair Keydar

| Beau Coddou & Dylan Patterson

Swings

|{{N/A}}

| colspan="3" |Kodiak Thompson, Cameron Mitchell Bell, Adrian Villegas

Ensemble

|{{N/A}}

| colspan="3" |Teddy Wilson Jr, Christine Shepard, Kodiak Thompson, Nicholas Kraft, Peli Woods

Studio cast recording (2022)

{{Infobox album

| name = DRAG: The Musical (Studio Cast Recording)

| type = studio

| artist = Alaska Thunderfuck and the original studio cast of Drag: The Musical

| cover = Drag the musical.jpeg

| alt =

| released = May 13, 2022

| recorded =

| venue =

| studio =

| genre =

| length = 63:32

| label = {{Flatlist|

}}

| producer = Tomas Costanza

| prev_title = Vagina

| prev_year = 2019

| next_title = Red 4 Filth

| next_year = 2022

| misc = {{Singles

| type = studio

| single1 = Drag Is Expensive

| single1date = May 5, 2022

}}

}}

Drag: The Musical (Studio Cast Recording) is a concept album written by Alaska Thunderfuck, Ash Gordon, and Tomas Costanza, and is the source material for Drag: The Musical.{{Cite web |last=Hall |first=Margaret |date=2022-04-13 |title=Peppermint, Nick Adams, Max Von Essen, More Featured on Drag: The Musical Studio Album |url=https://playbill.com/article/peppermint-nick-adams-max-von-essen-more-featured-on-drag-the-musical-studio-album |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=Playbill |archive-date=June 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240619133235/https://playbill.com/article/peppermint-nick-adams-max-von-essen-more-featured-on-drag-the-musical-studio-album |url-status=live }} It was released on May 13, 2022, by PEG Records, Killingsworth Recording Company, Craft Recordings, and Concord Theatricals. The album features a large ensemble cast including Alaska Thunderfuck, Bob the Drag Queen, Divina de Campo, Ginger Minj, Jujubee, Lagoona Bloo, Peppermint, Monét X Change, Margaret Cho, Fortune Feimster, Michelle Visage, Max von Essen, and Nick Adams. "Drag Is Expensive" was released as a single on May 5, 2022.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.etonline.com/alaska-thunderfck-debuts-first-track-from-drag-the-musical-exclusive-183600|title=Alaska Thunderf*ck Debuts First Track from 'DRAG: The Musical' (Exclusive)|last=Kile|first=Meredith B.|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=May 5, 2022|access-date=May 13, 2022|archive-date=May 12, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220512173803/https://www.etonline.com/alaska-thunderfck-debuts-first-track-from-drag-the-musical-exclusive-183600|url-status=live}}

=Track listing=

{{track listing

|headline = Drag: The Musical (Studio Cast Recording)

|all_writing = Alaska Thunderfuck, Ash Gordon, and Tomas Costanza

|extra_column = Performer(s)

|total_length = 63:32

|title1=Welcome to the Fishtank

|extra1={{hlist|Bob the Drag Queen|Divina de Campo|Lagoona Bloo|Michelle Visage|Monét X Change|Nick Adams}}

|length1= 4:02

|title2=She's All That

|extra2=Adams

|length2= 2:09

|title3=Cathouse Fever

|extra3={{hlist|Ginger Minj|Jujubee|Peppermint}}

|length3= 2:57

|title4=Queen Kitty

|extra4={{hlist|Alaska Thunderfuck|De Campo|Minj|Bloo}}

|length4= 2:49

|title5=The Accounting Song

|extra5=Max von Essen

|length5= 2:44

|title6=Drag Is Expensive

|extra6={{hlist|De Campo|Bloo|Von Essen|X Change|Adams}}

|length6=3:56

|title7=Wigs

|extra7={{hlist|Minj|Jujubee|Peppermint}}

|length7= 1:52

|title8=Gay as Hell

|extra8=Jamie Torcellini

|length8= 1:31

|title9=Gloria Schmidt

|extra9={{hlist|Fortune Feimster|Von Essen|Visage}}

|length9= 1:52

|title10=Out of Your League

|extra10=Thunderfuck

|length10= 2:41

|title11=Miriam Mintz

|extra11={{hlist|Margaret Cho|Thunderfuck}}

|length11= 1:00

|title12=She's Such a Bitch

|extra12={{hlist|Thunderfuck|De Campo|Minj|Jujubee|Bloo|X Change|Adams|Peppermint}}

|length12= 5:50

|title13=It's So Pretty

|extra13={{hlist|Adams|Jack Rodman}}

|length13= 2:45

|title14=I'm Just Brendan

|extra14=Rodman

|length14= 1:58

|title15=We Need Money

|extra15={{hlist|De Campo|Bloo|Von Essen|Visage|X Change|Adams}}

|length15= 2:33

|title16=I Don't Like You But I Like You

|extra16={{hlist|Visage|Von Essen}}

|length16= 3:11

|title17=Girls Like Us

|extra17=Peppermint

|length17= 2:51

|title18=Jerry's Dead

|extra18={{hlist|De Campo|Rodman|Bloo|Von Essen|Visage|Nick Adams}}

|length18= 2:22

|title19=Two Bitches are Better Than One

|extra19={{hlist|Thunderfuck|Adams}}

|length19=3:02

|title20=Real Queens

|extra20={{hlist|X Change|Thunderfuck}}

|length20= 2:14

|title21=Welcome to the Catfish

|extra21={{hlist|Bob the Drag Queen|De Campo|Minj|Jujubee|Bloo|Peppermint}}

|length21=3:28

|title22=Brendan Is His Name

|extra22={{hlist|Rodman|Jujubee|De Campo|Peppermint|Bloo|Minj}}

|length22= 2:20

|title23=Get It Together

|extra23={{hlist|Thunderfuck|De Campo|Minj|Rodman|Jujubee|Bloo|Visage|X Change|Adams|Peppermint}}

|length23= 3:25

}}

Awards and nominations

=Los Angeles production=

class="wikitable" width="95%"
width="5%"| Year

! width="25%"| Award

! width="35%"| Category

! width="10%"| Result

2023

|Queerty Awards

|Live Theater{{Cite web |title=Live Theater Award Winners - Queerties 2023 |url=https://www.queerty.com/promos/queerties-2023/vote-2310.html |access-date=2024-10-26 |website=The Queerties |archive-date=August 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240823045028/https://www.queerty.com/promos/queerties-2023/vote-2310.html |url-status=live }}

| rowspan="1" {{win}}

=New York production=

class="wikitable" width="95%"
width="5%"| Year

! width="25%"| Award

! width="35%"| Category

! width="25%" | Nominee

! width="10%"| Result

rowspan="15" |2025

|Queerty Awards

| colspan="2" |Live Theater{{Cite web |title=Theater award winners in the 2025 Queerties |url=https://www.queerty.com/queerties/vote/?category_id=2522 |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=Queerty |language=en}}

| rowspan="2"{{won}}

GLAAD Media Awards

| colspan="2" |Special Recognition{{cite news |last1=Tran |first1=Diep |title=Drag: The Musical, Oh, Mary!, Wicked, More Recognized by GLAAD Media Awards |url=https://playbill.com/article/drag-the-musical-oh-mary-wicked-more-recognized-by-glaad-media-awards |access-date=23 January 2025 |publisher=Playbill |date=22 January 2025}}

rowspan="6"|Lucille Lortel Awards

|colspan="2"|Outstanding Musical

|{{Nominated}}

Outstanding Choreographer

|Spencer Liff

|{{Nominated}}

Outstanding Lead Performer in a Musical

|Alaska Thunderfuck

|{{Nominated}}

rowspan="2"|Outstanding Featured Performer in a Musical

|Jujubee

|{{Nominated}}

Eddie Korbich

|{{Nominated}}

Outstanding Costume Design

|Marco Marco

|{{Nominated}}

rowspan="2" | Drama League Awards{{Cite web |last=Culwell-Block |first=Logan |date=April 22, 2025 |title=2025 Drama League Awards Nominations Are Out; Read the Full List |url=https://playbill.com/article/2025-drama-league-awards-nominations-are-out-read-the-full-list |access-date=April 23, 2025 |website=Playbill}}

| colspan="2"|Outstanding Production of a Musical

| {{Nominated}}

Distinguished Performance

| Alaska Thunderfuck

| {{Nominated}}

rowspan="5" | Outer Critics Circle Awards{{cite web|title=Death Becomes Her Leads 2025 Outer Critics Circle Award Nominations; Read the Full List|first=Logan|last=Culwell-Block|date=April 25, 2025|website=Playbill|url=https://playbill.com/article/death-becomes-her-leads-2025-outer-critics-circle-award-nominations-read-the-full-list|access-date=April 26, 2025}}

| colspan="2"|Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical

| {{won}}

rowspan="2" | Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical

| Nick Adams

| {{won}}

Alaska Thunderfuck

| {{nom}}

rowspan="2" | Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical

| Eddie Korbich

| {{nom}}

J. Elaine Marcos

| {{nom}}

References

{{reflist}}