By Mikkel Hyldebrandt
Atlanta is about to experience a herstoric venture into the art of parody musicals as the cast of Shamilton will take the stage of City Winery on August 24-28. David spoke to writer, producer, director, and cast member Tyrannosaurus Rex about the show and how it reshapes one of the most significant musicals of our time with a little bit of referencing and a lot of drag.
Atlanta is about to get an unusual and amazing she-quel to one of the most well-known recent musicals. Tell us a little about how Shamilton came to fruition.
Shamilton is actually the 5th Parody Musical that Drunk Drag Broadway has produced; I was first introduced to Joey Ellington, AKA Stella-Pearl Fontaine, who is the Artistic Director for Drunk Drag Broadway, during their production of Little Shop of Whores. I participated as a director and an actress for separate productions, but this is the first time I am putting on all four hats (director, producer, writer, actor) for one singular production. Joey and I joked about the idea of me writing Shamilton in the fall of 2023, and I thought about it sporadically and made it my resolution for 2024, and by February, I had a script to present to Joey for his review.
Many people are familiar with the original story, characters, and songs of Hamilton. How did you adapt them all to Shamilton?
For Shamilton, I followed the template of previous Drunk Drag Broadway productions, which uses the trope of a live narrator who tells the story via a storybook. With that framing device, we’re able to quickly go over plot points, skip songs, and sneak in more jokes. This device also helps keep the actors on stage on their toes because we always have a drag queen on the mic, and whenever you give a drag queen a microphone, a little bit of chaos will always ensue.
You have written Shamilton but also produce, direct, and act in it. How does it work to wear all those hats at the same time?
I am a project manager on weekdays, so wearing different hats, sometimes simultaneously, is how I make a living. I am one of those people who will bring a color-coded itinerary on a vacation, so this is almost like an obstacle course for me. I have the privilege of seeing Shamilton from the initial idea to closing night, so I feel very lucky to be given the chance to attempt to do this and have the support of Joey and Jon Dean from WussyMag.
For those who know the original’s story, characters, and music, what can they expect of this production?
This show is made with those original fans in mind because I am one of those fans, so there are references to the show itself, direct references to the things that inspired the show, and also, there is a lot of drag infused into the show! There will be live singing and dancing, of course, but there are also lip-syncs, drag mixes, and even a death drop or two!
And for those who don’t know the original? Do you suggest they check the original first?
The show was filmed live and is on streaming, but if you are a fan of herstory, or know a little bit about American history, or just want to be entertained, you will enjoy the show, so it is completely up to the reader.
Tell us a little more about the cast for this production. Are there any familiar faces (or voices)?
So, a very familiar voice people would recognize is Nicole Paige Brooks from RuPaul Drag Race; she has been “The Narrator” for almost every production with Drunk Drag Broadway! We also have Stella-Pearl Fontaine, Glitz Winner Jesus-N-Drag, and Drag performers Princess Charles & Boudreaux! The rest of our cast consists of local Atlanta actors and performers: Jason Gonsalves, Perren Leatherwood, Bree Nichole, and Mariah Cardoza. Our crew comprises Lina Lane, Ash Brooks, Doug Chiki, and Davan Glynn.
What was the biggest challenge of this production?
The biggest challenge of this production depends on what hat I am currently wearing, but I think something that affected us all was time. Our cast was only able to be fully together one day a week due to schedules and previous conflicts, and we only rehearsed for six weeks, so not a lot of time. Luckily, we have an incredibly hardworking cast and crew that show up and also show out. I have truly enjoyed watching the show come together before my eyes.
You will be playing August 22, 24, 25, and 28 at City Winery – are there plans to take the show on the road?
We would love to present this show again or take it on the road, but right now, we’re focused on ensuring that this premier production goes well and provides a little escapism for our audience.
Let us know how to get tickets and where to follow Drunk Drag Broadway.
We will be offering a meet-and-greet after the show as an add-on. This includes a Shamilton keepsake per meet-and-greet ticket, which will be sold separately. All of that can be purchased at Citywinery.com or through the link in the bios on Instagram @ddbatl, @wussymag, and @wussyevents.