Queen of the Hill

She-man playwright Charles Busch spoofs Wonderful Life

Comments (0) By Wynter Holden Thursday, Dec 11 2008

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Ever notice how all of the holiday classics are dominated by males? Scrooge. Charlie Brown. George Bailey. The Grinch. So we were thrilled when we heard that Nearly Naked Theatre’s Times Square Angel features a female lead character – until we found out the role is played by a dude (a.k.a. Damon Dering). “It is true there are less great roles for women than men, but there are even fewer for drag queens,” says director Tim Shawver. The play is part of a series in which author/drag icon Charles Busch spoofs famous film styles, from Hitchcock thrillers to Gidget-style beach movies. Times Square Angel lampoons It’s a Wonderful Life, subbing in a sinful nightclub singer for the doting dad. The gender-bending casting might seem weird, but Busch’s shows draw a cult following. “With titles like Vampire Lesbians of Sodom and Theodora, She-Bitch of Byzantium,” says Shawver, “his plays have never had trouble finding an audience.”
Sat., Dec. 13, 8 p.m.; Sun., Dec. 14, 2 & 6 p.m.; Wed., Dec. 17, 8 p.m.; Thu., Dec. 18, 8 p.m.; Fri., Dec. 19, 8 p.m.; Sat., Dec. 20, 2 & 8 p.m., 2008