By Michael Block
The Marvel universe has the Avengers, a super team of heroes who come together to fight the evils of the world. Each of these heroes lives in their own stand-alone story, but when they come together, it’s magical. Such is the case in
You Don’t Own Me. Jackie Cox, Paige Turner, and Sutton Lee Seymour, three of New York’s premiere theater drag divas, reunite for an evening of fun, laughs, and a good time in You Don’t Own Me at the Laurie Beechman. With a silly premise to string the night along, the heart of the show is the power of community and friendship.
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| photo by Michael Block |
After a hilarious audition of “Three Little Maid for “Handmaid’s Tale the musical,” Jackie, Paige, and Sutton vow to make a musical on their own. But how will these three different queens with three very different ideas create a jukebox musical? That’s the fun of You Don’t Own Me. This campy musicale brings together a stellar drag trifecta who have each uniquely planted their flags in nightlife and the cabaret scene. While each being a campy Broadway performer, they infuse their own brass, crass, and sass to unite a cohesive team. Whether you know them from their individual shows or at their bar shows, they bring a special version of their character and individual relationships to allow for a necessary plot and arc. Paige portrays the blonde center-of-attention determined to make a musical at any stake. Sutton shows up as the scowl-laden negative Nancy who has taken a hard turn on Broadway. And Jackie jumps in as the air-headed Disney- loving princess. Together, their blend makes magic ignite. This show isn’t all trio numbers as you might wish it were. To cover the tricks if the trade, we get moments of solos and duets that allow each queen their moment to shine.
In a world of hardship, there’s a big, bright, beautiful tomorrow when you find hope and joy in art.
You Don’t Own Me delivers a night to escape this world. Love, laughs, and a perfect friendship are their keys to success. The show is nothing short of a satisfying treat that leaves you begging for the next reunion.
