Why Does Broadway Keep Doing Drag?

Original Air Date: January 18, 2023

A musical adaptation of the 1959 movie, "Some Like It Hot," is now on Broadway.

The movie has been acclaimed as one of the best comedy films of all time, but much of that comedy relies on the trope of men using drag as a disguise. It's a trope that Broadway is no stranger to, as evidenced by recent adaptations of "Mrs. Doubtfire" and "Tootsie." The "Some Like It Hot" musical attempts to alleviate this tension between historic and often harmful portrayals of drag and the rich reality of drag as art, self-expression, and everything in between. But can a revision of an old story featuring harmful stereotypes ever truly be a vehicle for authentic representation? 

We speak with J. Harrison Ghee, star of Some Like It Hot, about the show's new take on his character. We learn about the evolution of drag in theater from Domenick Scudera, professor of theater at Ursinus College. And we talk with Miss Peppermint — drag star, actress and ambassador for Trans Justice at the ACLU — about her experience as a trans woman working on Broadway and in the drag industry during this time of rising hatred against drag performers and gender non-conforming folks.

Original Air Date: January 18, 2023

A musical adaptation of the 1959 movie, "Some Like It Hot," is now on Broadway. The movie has been acclaimed as one of the best comedy films of all time, but much of that comedy relies on the trope of men using drag as a disguise. It's a trope that Broadway is no stranger to, as evidenced by recent adaptations of "Mrs. Doubtfire" and "Tootsie." The "Some Like It Hot" musical attempts to alleviate this tension between historic and often harmful portrayals of drag and the rich reality of drag as art, self-expression, and everything in between. But can a revision of an old story featuring harmful stereotypes ever truly be a vehicle for authentic representation? 

We speak with J. Harrison Ghee, star of Some Like It Hot, about the show's new take on his character. We learn about the evolution of drag in theater from Domenick Scudera, professor of theater at Ursinus College. And we talk with Miss Peppermint — drag star, actress and ambassador for Trans Justice at the ACLU — about her experience as a trans woman working on Broadway and in the drag industry during this time of rising hatred against drag performers and gender non-conforming folks.