Even at 40, it's possible to have truly new experiences. Last night I heard one drag queen sing a love song--in Yiddish--and another perform a paean to herpes, to the tune of The Way We Were: "Can it be that it was herpes simplex then?", when Jeff and I went to see Winnie, Trixie, Rachel and Trampolina, otherwise known as The Kinsey Sicks, "America's Favorite Dragapella Beautyshop Quartet," at the Birchmere, and I had a blast.
It was a wonderfully funny show, with clever lyrics, tight harmonies and terrific performances, and with vocal and stylistic ranges as broad as Rachel's hips. The four divas in their over-the-top drag performed for a solid two hours, starting with "You're Scaring Us," a song about aging queens, sung to the tune of "Age of Aquarius." The only vocal break was provided by their sick and bizarre (and therefore hilariously popular) audience participation game, Choices, which began with such questions as "Would you rather have your face epoxied to a urinal, or be tit-clamped to Martha Stewart for a week?" and proceeded through "Would you rather have sex with Mr. Rogers, or Mr. Ed?" which generated some discussion--and changing audience opinions--based on whether they meant alive or dead.
Now, the interesting thing I just learned today is that the man behind Rachel, who also serves as the group's lyricist and manager, is Ben Schatz, former executive director of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, and the president of my college's Lesbian and Gay student group when he and I were undergraduates together 20-odd years ago. I wish I'd known this last night; I'd have stuck around after the performance at least to say hello.
Oh, and Jeff's hair looked fabulous. I think I need to make an appointment to be coiffed and pampered at the Grooming Lounge.
