Interview: Jason B. Schmidt of CALL ME URSULA at Lush Lounge & Theater

Ursula is one of Disney’s most memorable villains, and Jason has plenty to say about the character.

His show, Call Me Ursula: A Musical Deep Dive Into the Sea Witch, looks at the different women, drag queens and writers who have influenced the way he sees Ursula. It also includes songs from Broadway and other sources that help tell the story.

Jason has a connection to Minneapolis as well. He has performed here several times with The Golden Gays, including at LUSH last year.

Ahead of his return to LUSH with Call Me Ursula, we asked Jason about Ursula, Bea Arthur, the inspiration behind the show and his connection to Minnesota.

What makes Ursula such an iconic Disney villain?

She’s sultry, she’s got a hell of a voice, a great sense of humor and she’s the perfect comic foil to Ariel and Triton. And we (I) want to be her!

How did your work as Bea Arthur influence your take on Ursula?

When I heard years ago that Bea’s agents never offered the role to her, despite the writers thinking of her when they created it, I thought… that’s a show! So Bea + Ursula = the show. It was almost the entire influence! The other influence was my ADORATION for the film and for ALL of the VHS Disney movies. I was an avid collector (still am) and I would watch the movies on repeat through my early twenties.

What can audiences expect from Call Me Ursula?

It’s a deep dive into all of the fabulous women, a couple drag queens and male writers who have created my perception of the character over the years. Songs from Broadway and beyond inform the storyline and move us through the history of the character.

Have you been to Minnesota before, and is there anything you especially like about the state?

Yes, my Golden Girls troupe, The Golden Gays™ has played Minneapolis many times. We were here in October of last year with The Golden Ghouls™ at LUSH and we have strong ties to Flip Phone and the Golden Girls Cruises, as they produced them, and we were the headliners of 6 Celebrity Cruise charters since just before the Pandemic lockdown in 2020. We have garnered so many wonderful Golden Girls Fans who are deeply tied to Flip Phone and Minneapolis. And my husband’s favorite drag queen is Domita Sanchez!