Pride weekend is a time for parades, beaches, and celebration of all things LGBTQIA+. But if you鈥檙e trying to get out of the sun, why not take advantage of the free air conditioning and see some shows that center the queer experience. Here are some shows you can watch this weekend in honor of Pride.
& Juliet
Roar with Pride at this Max Martin jukebox musical. Featuring songs made famous by pop stars such as Britney Spears, the Backstreet Boys, Pink, and more, & Juliet reimagines the ending of Shakespeare鈥檚 Romeo and Juliet to be a lot more feminist, and a lot more queer. Juliet decides not to kill herself and instead, goes off to Paris with her non-binary best friend. The show also has a groundbreaking representation of a non-binary character coming into themself, singing 鈥淚鈥檓 Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman,鈥� while falling in love. Bubbly, fun, and empowering, & Juliet is truly for the girls and the gays, and anyone who has overcome and is stronger than yesterday.
Death Becomes Her
When one of the first songs is called 鈥淔or the Gaze,鈥� pun very much intended, you know who the target audience for this show is. While Death Becomes Her is about two women who take an anti-aging potion in order to one-up each other, it is actually based on a film that鈥檚 become a classic within the gay community. And the musical has managed to make that camp classic even gayer鈥攆rom the chorus of dancers dressed in rainbow tuxedos with ass cutouts, to a 鈥淰ogue鈥�-inspired number where the ensemble serves some fierce looks, to the commentary on how feminine beauty is a kind of drag, to the importance of chosen family. Death Becomes Her the musical is a joyful time that is truly for anyone who loves to defy societal conventions.
.
Cabaret
Wilkommen, bienvenue to Cabaret. Kander and Ebb鈥檚 classic musical has been given a sumptuous production at the August Wilson, led by gay country music star Orville Peck as the Emcee and lovable Broadway diva Eva Noblezada as Sally Bowles. But not only does this production make very clear that the Kit Kat Club is a queer space, it also brings the musical back to its roots鈥攊t was based on the memoirs of gay writer Christopher Isherwood when he was living in Weimar-era Berlin. As such, in this new production, the main character of this production, Cliff, is explicitly bisexual (Calvin Leon Smith). Granted, if you know Cabaret, you know it starts off joyous, but the ending isn鈥檛 exactly a good time. But you鈥檒l leave feeling fired up, knowing how important it is to fight to preserve queer spaces鈥攁 good reminder considering the world outside of the Kit Kat Club.
Oh, Mary!
What if Abraham Lincoln was gay? And his wife, Mary Todd, wanted to be a cabaret star? That is the batty, and also, brilliant conceit of Cole Escola鈥檚 Oh, Mary!, which reimagines the Lincolns in a very historically inaccurate but also hilarious way. There鈥檚 a reason that Oh, Mary! has been selling out on Broadway since it first opened last summer, and why Escola won a Tony for their performance in the show. Because within the madcap set-up and medleys, Oh, Mary! is also a poignant showcase of a frustrated artist who wants to be seen for who she truly is. So while the play is called Oh, Mary!, it is also a show for anyone who is encouraged to hide their true selves, but who proudly wears their sequins and bratty curls anyway. Mary is on the stage, but Mary is also everyone鈥攁nd that鈥檚 why everyone, from Escola to Betty Gilpin to (currently) Tituss Burgess to (upcoming) Jinkx Monsoon, has played Mary. You鈥檒l laugh, you鈥檒l cry, and you鈥檒l leave going, 鈥淭he South of WHAT???!!!鈥�
Trophy Boys
If you loved The Outsiders and John Proctor is the Villain, then you should check out Trophy Boys by Emmanuelle Mattana, and directed by Danya Taymor (who directed the aforementioned two other shows). A group of teenage boys sit down to practice for a debate competition, except the boys are played by a cast of female and non-binary actors鈥攊n a funny and biting satire of gender and toxic masculinity. There鈥檚 also a gay love story, in case you were wondering if the queer energy is all subtext. If you want something thought provoking, and a tidy 70 minutes, Trophy Boys runs Off-Broadway until July 27, so be sure to get to the theatre now before the play closes!
Interested in a trip to New York City or London? Use 半岛体育's to find the right hotel for your stay. Powered by , the booking engine allows you to discover the best hotels in both cities, with added benefits like hotel credits, free breakfasts, rewards points, and more. Check out the fantastic hotels available to book and make your experience in these two big cities that much more special!
