The Drag
By Mae West
A Reworking by Thomas Choinacky & AZ Espinoza
January/February 2025
Christ Church Neighborhood House
A new adaptation on a controversial classic.
“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” - Mae West
Written by the infamous sex icon of stage and screen, Mae West’s The Drag, once hailed as outrageous and morally offensive, explores sexual and moral taboos to reveal both the pleasures and the cost of living a secret life. Closeted socialite, Rolly Kingsbury, navigates his suspicious wife, her therapist father who specializes in gay conversion, and his rowdy drag queen friends. Come for the drag ball and stay for this flamboyant and fiercely funny social satire. This new adaptation brought the original play into modern dialogue about Queer issues and the legislative actions being taken against queer people throughout the US.
The Drag sponsored by Dr. Joel and Mrs. Bobbie Porter
Opening Night Sponsored by Joyce Spindler
Creative Team
Rebecca Wright … Director
Chris Haig … Scenic Design
Ilycia Buffaloe … Costume Designer
Krista Smith … Lighting Designer
Adiah Hicks … Sound Designer
Shane Dreher … Props Designer
Paule Turner, Duchess … Choreographer
K. O’Rourke … Intimacy Coordinator
Randi Alexis Hickey … Stage Manager/Intimacy Captain
Asher Vaglica … Assistant Stage Manager
Xander Setchko … Asst. Lighting Designer/Follow Spot Operator
Devon Roberts … Production Photos
Cast
Eli Lynn … Rollie
Vanessa (V) Sterling … Grayson
doug greene … David
Jameka Monet Wilson … Clair
Anne Faye Lieberman … Doctor
Donovan Lockett … Judge
Pax Ressler … Clem
Max Vasapoli … Barbara/Kate
Dallas Austin Jimmar … Duchess
Joyous Whitfield … Taxi Driver
Lexi Thammavong … Winnie/Marion/Inspector
Chris Davies … Jessie/Parsons
About Mae West
Mary Jane "Mae" West (August 17, 1893 – November 22, 1980) was an American actress, singer, comedian, screenwriter, and playwright whose career spanned over seven decades. West’s plays dealt with what today would be called "adult subject matter" with tryst plots and sexual innuendos. Her productions were not easy to bring to the stage for many reasons, primarily the constant changes needed to get the dialogue and plot lines more in line with the moral codes of the day. Of course, all this only brought more publicity to her productions and resulted in packed performances.
“She was an original: the ultimate bosomy, blonde sex symbol whose style—silken walk, suggestive less of sex than of the meshing of superbly machined parts—was often imitated, but never equaled…She was above all, Mae West.”
- Ted O. Thackrey and Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times