Drag performer Patti Boo Rae talks new festive show ‘Little Miss Christmas’: “Beauty pageants and the holidays have a lot in common”

Following the success of its initial run last year, the show lands on the London scene for two daily performances across the holiday season. Guillermo Nazara chats with the artist to learn what’s in store in this festive celebration of glitter, lipstick, and acceptance.

How does it feel to be bringing the show to the London scene for this year’s holiday season?

Thrilling and terrifying in equal measure! The show was commissioned last year by Newcastle’s Alphabetti Theatre, and I’m delighted to say they’re joining us as co-producers for the London transfer. I had big heels to fill in the North East. Obviously, I’m not from there -I’m originally from Texas-, so I felt a lot of pressure to meet the high bar set by artists who have been working up there for a long time. I think that prepared me to bring the show down south, and I hope I do them proud!

How did the idea for the show come about?

I wanted to make an old-school variety show -you know, a song, a lip sync, a dance, a strip, a joke, bam-bam-bam one right after another-, and I thought a pageant would be the perfect format. You’ve got all the categories -swimsuit, talent, interview, etc.-, and each of them becomes a different type of act. And then I thought, in the spirit of variety, what if there was a new, surprise guest artist at every single show? All of my work is narrative; if you come to a Patti show, it’s going to tell a story. I won’t spoil it, but I will say the guest artists in LMX make the story happen — and they also make it so no two shows are the same! That’s fun for audiences, but it also keeps it exciting for me. I never know exactly what’s going to happen.

Has the show evolved in any way between both runs?

Southwark is a larger theatre and a longer run, and anytime I remount a show I want it to be bigger and better than the time before. We’re throwing even more glitter at it and adding more songs — the heels are higher, the hair is heavier, and the Candy Cane Crown is even more delectable. I suppose you could say it’s been yassified.

The show pokes fun at the beauty pageant concept, but it also serves as a comment on how society imposes extreme physical ideals on all of us. How will this message permeate the narrative?

Beauty pageants and the holidays have a lot in common. We all just want to impress the judges, whether that’s an actual judge or your mother-in-law. LMX is all about taking the competitive side of Christmas and dialing it up to the extreme — just to see what happens.

The script combines drag, panto, cabaret, and comedy. How will all these elements assemble and complement each other?

I love panto. As an American, it’s one of my favorite pieces of British culture, right up there with fish in pie and booze in everything. But panto is often aimed at kids and their parents, and I wanted something for those of us who are neither kids nor parents. Everyone deserves some good old fashioned crossdressing at Christmas — it’s tradition! Little Miss Christmas will give you that panto fix, but with more of a drag-show sensibility. And of course, if you do happen to be a parent, the show is for you, too — just maybe leave the kids at home.

Will the show feature any audience interaction?

Absolutely. The audience has to vote on the winner, for a start — and there are a few opportunities for the theatrically inclined to get up on the pageant stage and help me out.

Does the show spoof any specific real-life pageants or contestants?

The observant audience member may spot references to Toddlers in Tiaras and the infamous Miss Teen South Carolina “such as” speech. Most notably, there is an onscreen cameo from Anita Bryant, the former Miss Oklahoma turned orange juice mogul, who became one of the most notorious homophobes of the AIDS crisis. The pageant world is rife with unsavory characters looking impossibly glamorous — and that makes for some fun contradictions.

What particular challenges have you faced as a creative / performer?

My background is in musical theatre — hence, all the singing and dancing in the show. I love MT, but it can be a very restrictive art form. There’s still this idea that you have to look a certain way, and sound a certain way, and all of that is very gendered. It makes it an uphill battle for trans performers in particular. Making and performing my own work has been so liberating. I can start with the voice and body I have and proceed from there, rather than always trying to fit myself into someone else’s box.

Are there any highlights in the show that you’d like to flag?

There’s an “underwater” sequence in the Swimsuit portion of the pageant that’s so dumb, honestly, but pretty consistently everyone’s favorite bit. The lesson is to give into your silliest impulses. They’re often the best ones.

Why come see Little Miss Christmas?

Little Miss Christmas is, first and foremost, a great night out. Come with your friends, or come by yourself, and I will personally set you up with a new friend before you leave. It’s just a party, really — and you’re all invited.

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All pictures credit to TJMov.

Little Miss Christmas plays at London’s Southwark Playhouse until 3 January. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara