Sometimes, there’s nothing better than a good show on a Monday night.
Walking into the Auditorium Theatre, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from drag queens Trixie Mattel and Katya’s Broadway-style show. Although I know them from their season of RuPaul’s Drag Race and their different YouTube endeavors, it was hard to picture them carrying a 2-hour show without resorting to wave after wave of lip-synching.
I was so wrong.
Their show started off with a video, explaining how the two’s fictional manager Sandy (played brilliantly by drag queen Kelly Mantle) had signed them up to perform a Shakespearean play for the good people at Klarma. Klarma, a clear and delightful rip-off of real life financial company Klarna, had to be mentioned throughout the play at least 100 times or Trixie and Katya would be in real trouble. Of course, the girls don’t do anything they’re told, instead breaking the fourth wall to remind us that this was just one ridiculous drag show with a very loose premise.
Both Katya and Trixie got to play up to their strong suits several times throughout the show. Trixie is an accomplished folk singer-songwriter whose album One Stone reached #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. She played her guitar and sang an original song about the insanity of the show. Katya showed off her chaotic persona by elegantly dancing her way through “The Wind Beneath My Wings”...while pretending to be passed out after listening to a yoga app.
The second act was a bit more subdued, with the plot revolving around the sinister Klarma kidnapping Trixie and Katya when they’re at odds with one another. The two made fun of each other until they realized they’re stronger when working together. The show ended with a near-perfect rendition of “Nowadays” from the musical Chicago. The entire theater gave the two a standing ovation, proving that two drag queens can (almost) make it to Broadway.
All photos by Kate Scott