If you are a political junkie and a fan of drag queen entertainers, Ms. Blakk For President is a sure fire great evening in the theater. Oscar winner Tarell Alvin McCraney (Moonlight screenplay, Broadway’s Choir Boy) plays Joan Jett Blakk who ran for President in 1992 on the Queer Nation Party ticket. Along with Director Tina Landau (SpongeBob Squarepants, Superior Donuts), Mr. McCraney wrote this highly entertaining celebrity celebration.
Before the show in the lobby, for those who were paying attention, Molly Brennan stands next to a disco ball and performs a five minute version of The Wizard of Oz. The entire film is covered in snippets, sounds and happy frivolity. You could not enter the theater without a smile plastered on your face. Meanwhile there are monitors showing what’s happening inside. Drag queens are parading on a runway.
That all sounds fun and gay. A timeline, however, is also present in the lobby. In January of 1992, Ms. Blakk announced her candidacy hoping to make it to the floor of the Democratic National Convention in July. AIDS is now the number one cause of death for U.S. men ages 25 to 44. By year end, 194,476 deaths will be reported to date from this disease.
Act Up and Queer Nation were two groups making increasingly visible noise to pressure Washington to both acknowledge the crisis and actually do something. The beginning of this show is informative. For too many years, queer was a derogatory term. They want to take their name back. They “demand the death of homophobia instead of our lovers and friends.”
The setting is convention hall meets protest room with a runway cutting through the audience. This is certainly a drag show with lip syncing and heels. On a deeper level though, the extravaganza is also a history lesson and a reminder. “It’s very important that people are not forgotten.”
Of course Ms. Blakk is funny and gets a few lighthearted political barbs to throw out such as “my platforms are high and higher.” The campaign slogan was undeniably fabulous: “Lick Bush in ’92.” Throughout the good time drag show, tension lurks close to the surface. Queer Nation is making noise to grab attention not to win an election. Is Ms. Blakk caught up in the celebrity of the moment?
Naturally all of the targets you would expect (Republicans, Reagan) are hit hard. Refreshingly, they even go after mainstream liberal leaders. Democrats in drag are “people who dress up and pretend they think about the poor.” Themes are loud and very clear. “Whom we elect at the top decides who gets fucked at the bottom.” By this point, you already know whether this show is for you or not.
David Zinn’s scenic design manages to capture the spirit of a glamorous drag show which is not afraid to be aggressively serious about the angst and anger of the time. The entire performance is wildly enjoyable but also highly illuminating. The show exists to honor those who’ve come before and remind us all about the importance of standing up for civil rights and basic human decency.
All of the actors excel and most play multiple roles. Sawyer Smith plays “Q” which seems to nicely describe the various parts expertly inhabited including Marilyn Monroe. Patrick Andrews channeled Mark from Queer Nation who pushed the agenda and was clear sighted about the mission. Jon Hudson Odom played journalist and drag persona Glennda Orgasm, a performance artist who wants to capture the big interview on the convention floor.
Martha P. Johnson, one of the leading activists in the Stonewall riots is remembered in Ms. Blakk For President. This performer was found dead floating in the Hudson River later that same year. Apparently law enforcement was uninterested in investigating this potential homicide. This month is the fiftieth anniversary of this historic and dramatic exercise in free speech for equal rights. Johnson paved the way for many drag queens to follow. The tribute here is timely, fitting and touching. As is the reminder of the hard work done by unforgettably courageous citizens.
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