‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ winner Jinkx Monsoon to make their Broadway debut in ‘Chicago’
Jinkx Monsoon will fulfill a dream in their Broadway debut early next year.
Monsoon, a two-time winner of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,†will debut as Matron “Mama†Morton in the Broadway show “Chicago,†becoming the first drag queen to play that role, The Times has confirmed.
“I cannot stress enough that this has been a lifelong dream of mine,†Monsoon said in a statement.
Monsoon’s affinity for “Chicago†dates back to their beginnings as a drag queen. “The first number I performed in drag was ‘All That Jazz,’†said Monsoon, who is on a holiday tour with fellow drag queen BenDeLaCreme across the United States, Canada and United Kingdom. “So this feels almost too serendipitous.â€
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Monsoon, 35, also announced the upcoming debut on Instagram, sharing a photo in costume, presumably as Mama Morton, with the caption, “She’ll be good to you.†That’s a reference to the character’s electric solo, “When You’re Good to Mama.â€
Their eight-week Broadway stint at New York City’s Ambassador Theater will begin Jan. 16 and end March 12.
“Chicago†is continuing its run as the longest-running revival on Broadway with more than 10,000 performances, according to IBDB, the Internet Broadway Database. It trails only “Phantom of the Opera†as the longest-running Broadway show ever.
The role of Mama Morton has a storied history, with Marcia Lewis nabbing a Tony Award nomination in 1996 as a part of the revival’s original cast. Queen Latifah played the role in the Oscar-winning 2002 film version of “Chicago.â€
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Although this will be Monsoon’s first Broadway part, they are no stranger to theater, having starred in local productions of “Hairspray†and “Rent†at 5th Avenue Theater and “Spring Awakening†at Balagan Theater. Both stages are in Seattle, where Monsoon — real name Jerick Roman Hoffer — attended Cornish College of the Arts and worked as a janitor while an undergrad.
Monsoon joined the cast of “RuPaul’s Drag Race†in 2013 and went on to win the show’s fifth season. They were crowned again earlier this year in an “All Stars†season, becoming the first performer on the show to win twice.
Dwayne Cooper, known as Milan, was the first drag performer on Broadway in “Motown†and “Hairspray,†in 2007 and 2014, respectively.
In 2018, “RuPaul’s Drag Race†star Peppermint became the second drag performer on Broadway and the first trans woman to originate a principal role on Broadway in “Head Over Heels.â€
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