CenterREP’s “The Legend of Georgia McBride” Offers Fun Drag Acts, Lots of Laughs!
Center Repertory Company’s presentation of “The Legend of Georgia McBride”, currently playing through November 26 at the Lesher Center for the Arts (1601 Civic Drive) in Walnut Creek, CA., is a heart-warming tale about a young couple just trying to make it — plus well-fashioned drag queens! It centers on Casey (Joe Ayers), a struggling Elvis impersonator with a flashy sequin jumpsuit, working at a dive called Cleo's in the Florida Panhandle.
Unfortunately, his act isn't very good, according to stage boss Eddie. In the meantime, Jo (Sundiata Ayinde, making her CenterREP debut), Casey’s wife, announces she is pregnant. It's great news for Casey, but his wife realizes that they if they can't afford to pay the rent now they will be evicted. And, with another mouth to feed things are going to be even worse.
Then things take an even worse turn when Eddie (Alan Coyne, making his CenterREP debut), Casey's boss, announces that "Elvis" is leaving the building, to be replaced by the bar owner's cousin, Miss Tracy Mills (J.A. Valentine, making his CenterREP debut), a drag queen, and his side-kick Rexy, on stage known as Miss Anorexia Nervosa (Jed Parsario, making his CenterREP debut).
What is Casey to do? Since he’s been ousted from his Elvis impersonator role at the club he is kept on as bartender until one evening, when Nervosa comes to work drunk, flakes out, and Casey is forced to do a quick-change into a dress and lip-sync an Edith Piaf impersonation onstage. At first he protests, but then the tips start rolling in, and suddenly his financial problems are solved.
Then, one night Casey gets the inspired idea to remake his Elvis costume - and presto -- the drag queen Georgia McBride is born!
Time passes as Cleo’s goes from a dud dive bar to a more lucrative destination with a hilarious series of drag routines running one right after the other.
J.A. Valentine is terrific, both in and out of drag. So, too, is Jed Parsario, who doubles as Casey and Jo’s landlord and as Tracy’s sidekick, Rexy.
Joe Ayers also plays two dissimilar roles: Casey as the straight husband at home, and Casey the drag queen at work.
Drag is usually the act of a male dressing in overdone "glamorous" dresses, long flowing wigs, and heavy makeup. It is accompanied by exaggerated gendered behaviors such as, swaying hips and other inflated physical movements. To be frank, most drag queens don't actually desire to be women; they are not interested in transitioning. Many are "straight" men, not homosexuals, who like to dress in women's clothing and perform. In the case of “The Legend of Georgia McBride” the costumes (design by Becky Bodurtha), the makeup, and the performances are absolutely “fab-u-lous”! Scenic design by Kelly James Tighe is also superb.
During “The Legend of Georgia McBride”, a 1 hour 45-minute performance with no intermission, the audience can simply sit back, laugh, and even drop a few singles in the drag queens’ padded bras as the drag performances truly do sparkle.
Center Repertory Company’s “The Legend of Georgia McBride” continues through November 26. Tickets are $45-$70 and are available at (925) 943-7469 or Lesherartscenter.org.
* * * * *
Photo caption: Eddie (Alan Coyne) and Tracy (J.A. Valentine) are disappointed as Rexy (Jed Parsario) stumbles in late and Casey (Joe Ayers) watches in Center Repertory Company's "The Legend of Georgia McBride," currently performing through November 26 at Lesher Center for the Arts. (Photo Credit: Kevin Berne)