Review: THE LEGEND OF GEORGIA MCBRIDE at Center Repertory Company Dishes Up Some Serious Drag

They had me at “The Glamorous Life.” I was finding The Legend of Georgia McBride perfectly enjoyable when obstreperous drag queen Rexy kicked things up another notch with a performance of the idiosyncratic 1980s hit by Oakland’s own Sheila E. It was so sexy, funky, rough and ready and aspirational that I thought to myself, “Now, that is drag!” Circle Repertory Company’s production of Matthew López’ outrageous and heartfelt comedy gets many things right, but it’s really its spot-on presentation of drag that brings it to a whole other level. I’ve rarely, if ever, seen the drag world portrayed with such vivid authenticity.

The play was written almost a decade ago but could not be more timely given the recent efforts to outlaw drag in certain parts of the country, not to mention odious actions like Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law. The central tenet of drag has always been its gleeful refusal to be bound by repressive societal norms, so a celebration of it in these dispiriting times feels more necessary than ever. If the news headlines have got you feeling down and you find your faith in humanity slipping away, I suggest you hie yourself down to the Lesher Center for the Arts to catch this bracingly exuberant production.

The story Georgia McBride tells is actually pretty straightforward. Casey, a paycheck-to-paycheck Elvis impersonator in Panama City, Florida, gets fired from his job at the same time he learns his wife Jo is pregnant. What's a guy to do? When a drag act moves in to replace him at Cleo’s bar where he’s been playing, he’s all but forced into a solution. One of the drag queens is temporarily indisposed and Casey reluctantly agrees to go on in her place as Edith Piaf. Despite having no previous drag experience and giving an inept and comically clueless performance at first, Casey soon enough finds himself taking to drag like a duck to water. Before you know it, he has utterly transformed into a vivacious, country-styled diva named Georgia McBride. The only hitch is that he’s yet to tell his wife about his new line of work, let alone clue her in to the personal transformation he’s undergone as he embraces his inner queen.

López’ script is a little blunt and paint-by-numbers at times, but it is never less than full of heart as it barrels inexorably toward a frolicsome finale that celebrates the wonders of drag. And as comedic and high-sprited as the play is, there’s also a deeper message riding just below the shiny surface about how the LGBTQ community can offer straight folks some valuable lessons in moving past their shame to accept who they truly are.

Director Elizabeth Carter’s production makes a virtue of CRC’s somewhat limited resources (in comparison to, say, an A.C.T. or a Berkeley Rep) by focusing on performances over pyrotechnics, and depicting a world that is a little messy, a little rough around the edges – just as drag should be. Yes, the three central queens are delicious fun, but they’re also scrappy strivers who commit to their numbers with a fierceness that speaks of their need to be drag performers. It’s not just something they do for kicks, it’s who they are.

Kelly James Tighe’s tripartite set is appropriately drab around the margins (Casey’s sad-ass apartment, the backstage dressing room) with a sparkly central stage for the drag numbers. Costume designer Becky Bodurtha seems to have had a riot creating over-the-top outfits that speak to the individual characters of the queens while often accommodating a series of reveals within a single number. Aaron Spivey’s lighting ranges from disco laser beams to more nuanced effects such as the dimly-lit stage wings where we can see the queens in silhouette as they transform themselves between numbers. And that really is the masterstroke of Carter’s staging. To fully get drag, it helps to see what goes into making the magic happen, not to mention the sheer hard work involved in creating the illusion.

The cast is wonderful all around. Alan Coyne seems game for anything as Eddie, the MC and owner of Cleo’s. He may not fully understand the sea change his club is undergoing, but is more than happy to go with it since it’s attracting droves of paying customers. Sundiata Ayinde is stalwart and sympathetic as Casey’s wife, Jo, and makes a believable transition as she gradually comes to understand there’s a wholly unexpected other side to her husband.

But of course it’s really the drag characters that take precedence here, and the central trio are a wonder. Jed Parsario as Rexy nails the fiery, chaotic nature of a queen whose default mode starts at “extra” and only ratchets up from there. Parsario also doubles hilariously as Casey and Jo’s landlord in a few brief scenes that demonstrate a different side of his offbeat comic timing. J. A. Valentine shines as seasoned drag queen Miss Tracy Mills, a den mother type who does her best to keep Rexy functional and schools Casey in the fine art of finding his drag identity. Valentine also shows the more introverted side of his character in his one scene out of drag.

Joe Ayers as Casey/Georgia provides the critical centrifugal force of the show. Ayers makes a credible everyday guy who is a decent-enough Elvis impersonator, but it’s when he blossoms into a drag queen that Ayers’ performance really takes flight. Utter delight seems to emanate from every pore in his body as Casey gains more confidence with each performance. Ayers makes it clear that for Casey being a queen is not just a performance style, it’s his destiny, and no one could be more surprised (or delighted) by this discovery than Casey himself. It’s also a brave performance in that Ayers spends much of his stage time in various states of undress. This gives the audience the ability to follow his journey as we literally see him stripping away the layers of who he was and building his new identity as Georgia persona from the skin up.

Props are also in order for the contributions of drag consultant Chris Steele who has clearly given the director and cast careful guidance in the finer points of drag. The song choices are impeccable (e.g. Stephen Sondheim’s “The Ladies Who Lunch” in the Patti LuPone version for Miss Tracy, so perfect for her gimlet-eyed character). More than that, everyone onstage seems to understand that the true power of drag comes not from its trappings – fabulous as they are – but from the feeling of liberation that it imparts to the audience. You may well leave The Legend of Georgia McBride floating on a cloud as you ponder the ways in which you might open yourself live a more authentic life. Now, that’s some serious food for thought.

(all photos by Kevin Berne)

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The Legend of Georgia McBride continues through Sunday, November 26, 2023 at the Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr, Walnut Creek. Running time is approximately two hours, no intermission. For tickets and more information, visit LesherArtsCenter.org or call the box office at (925) 943-7469 (open Wed-Sun, 12:00pm-6:00pm).

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