At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen has something for “every man, every woman and everything in between.” Central character Courtney Berringers shares those words in a different context in the play, but she may as well be speaking of the diverse audience this production speaks to.
The play is set in 2004, but the LGBTQ+ community is unfortunately still facing some of the same obstacles it addresses today. It’s a show perfectly suited to inspire the community as Pride month approaches and we rev up for more political protests. Written and starring the talented Terry Guest, the play holds up a mirror to society today and questions why the needle has not moved further.
At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen follows Berringers’s entire life and death. Looking for his soul mate, Courtney meets a fellow performer named Vickie Versailles, played by Paul Michael Thomson. This leads to a kai kai between them—and much more.
The two lovers let their hair down backstage, along with their wigs, as they untuck and tuck while getting real, mighty real. They spill the tea and bring the audience along on a heartfelt trip through the Deep South. Haunted by the ghosts that continually hinder them from fully following their dreams, the duo nevertheless keeps moving forward. In the process, spirited drag sequences unfold, sprinkled with catty dialogue in a southern drawl.
The artists should not only be proud of the range up on the Schwartz Stage, but the overall delivery could have easily become a caricature and these artists dodge that bullet in heels. While some of the drag is not completely polished, it fits in with the small-town Alabama setting.
Courtney and Vickie celebrate and debate queer icons with some lively banter. In general, drag is inherently theatrical, but theater drag must sustain the illusion much longer and these two Story Theatre ensemble members play well off each other. They lip-synch at the same time during one dynamic number and drum up the necessary chemistry for their onstage relationship.
Guest breaks the the fourth wall from the beginning, and he is at his best when interacting with the audience. Ticket holders will experience a different show every time, depending on the audience’s responses.
Guest brings Courtney to life with sass, gusto and charm, making her undeniably memorable for anyone venturing into the Raven Theatre this May. Guest wrote the piece back in 2019 as a response to Trump’s first term in office, way before his current reign of escapades.
This material will resonate with theatergoers and will stick around for much longer than the fabric in a polyester blend. There’s nothing sadder than a doomed drag queen’s dreams being crushed, but thanks to strong directing from Mikael Burke, this production celebrates humanity.
There’s a rainbow of costumes on display on the rack, stage right and a holy roller church setup on stage left. Several costume pieces from Racquel Postilgione are standouts, including a black fringe dress towards the end.
At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen has several cross-generational references and will resonate with people of all ages. There is no nudity, but there’s an adult toy along with some adult content. It covers a great deal of territory including queer trauma, racism, HIV, relationships, politics and life overall in the South, and is loosely based on the life of Guest’s Uncle Anthony.
Don’t sleep on this Wake, because this Dead Drag Queen deserves to live on and warrants a big-screen adaptation one day. If given a movie star budget and cinematic flashback sequences, Courtney Berringers could rise to slay again in the future.
At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen kicks up its heels with an extension through May 18 to season five for The Story Theatre. Before the death drop, stop by 6157 N. Clark St. and purchase tickets ahead of time at thestorytheatre.org.
CHICAGO (May 2, 2025) – Due to high demand, The Story Theatre is pleased to announce a second week of additional performances for its new production of At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen, now extended through Sunday, May 25, 2025 on Raven Theatre’s Schwartz Stage, 6157 N. Clark St. (at Granville) in Chicago. Tickets for all performances are now on sale at thestorytheatre.org/tickets, ci.ovationtix.com/34415/production/1234667 or by calling (773) 338-2177.