Interview: Choreographers Richie Goff & Leigh Nieves of JOSEPHINE AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR LACEFRONT at Drag Daddy Productions

Choreographers Richie Goff and Leigh Nieves took some time to answer a few questions about Drag Daddy Productions' Josephine and the Amazing Technicolor Lacefront! 

1. What drew you to want to be a part of this show specifically?

Leigh: I was immediately drawn to the show's incredible level of camp and humor. Satirical shows can provide a place where choreography really comes into play. I knew this show would give me many opportunities to do just that.

Richie: Drag Daddy Production shows are so funny, campy, and important, so I was excited to help bring Josephine to life! Taking a classic tale and making it queer is an important part of representation and a reclaiming to find ourselves in spaces we aren’t normally seen. Josephine is an incredibly diverse and talented cast and I know they’ll make this show about redemption, while silly, in its own way have a deep meaning.

2. From a choreography point of view, in what way would you describe your personal style compared to the styles used in the show?

Leigh: My choreography tends to lean into storytelling first and everything else second. For this show, I've leaned into creating fun visuals, but also giving performers the opportunity to make choices within the numbers that reflect their character, rather than creating a simple "8-count combo".

Richie: As a theatre kid who loves a pop moment, I was drawn to the exuberant music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, and the reimagined lyrics by Tony Lewis. I think my personal style marries nicely to the style of the show—musical theatre at its core but with the energy and bounce of pop and rock, as Webber so famously does. This really allowed for cute moments in storytelling that could be expressive and silly but be grounded.

3. Are there any numbers or moments in the show you are particularly proud of that you think audiences should look out for?

Leigh: The opening ensemble number, Mimi & Queens (a spoof of Jacob & Sons), really shows off this cast's comedic chops. Moments like that have been some of my favorite to see come to life in the rehearsal process. This cast really commits to the "bit", and I think the audience is going to have a lot of fun watching.

Richie: I really love the choreo I came up with for Debbie-O Calypso. The music to this is very bright and bouncy and I think I was able to capture the essence of this number with the dancing. I think the audience will find themselves dancing along with this one—I think it’s a show highlight!

4. What's your elevator pitch for the show?

Leigh: Josephine and the Amazing Technicolor Lacefront is the perfect combination of classic musical theatre mixed with the raunchy side of campy-drag presented in metaphorical "technicolor". This is the perfect show if you're in need of some laughs and a fun night out!

Richie: Josephine and the Amazing Technicolor Lacefront is a celebration of queer joy, sisterhood, and how sticking together makes us stronger than trying to make it on our own. This show combines camp and heart, laughter and tears, and of course, a dazzling cast of queens with some fun wigs to boot. It’s going to be a wonderful night out where we can all laugh together and feel seen in our community. 

5. What themes are prevalent, and what do you hope audiences gain and take away from attending?

Leigh: This show reminds us that being true to yourself is more powerful than we know. I hope the audience leaves feeling lighter and a little more confident to embrace their own inner queen (and reminds them that being a jealous b*tch gets you nowhere!).

Richie: I think the main theme is that we must all work together to make our lives better, and by ostracizing one person in our community, we’re also hurting ourselves. Queer joy is also a main theme; just by producing this show, we show that our joy cannot be eradicated and that as queer people we will always find a way to express ourselves.

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