Overview:
Mr. Drag and the Drag Sisters are taking their holiday show on tour, but an emergency landing forces them to land in a quaint little town where they encounter strange circumstances. The show, presented by Eggtooth Productions, will take place on December 5 and 6 at the Shea Theater Arts Center in Turners Falls. The script of the show is murdered, leaving the characters to navigate a scripted, scriptless world. The show features new additions, including a full-set and costume changes, and aims to bring joy to the audience.
Mr. Drag and the Drag Sisters are going “on tour,” and attendees for the ninth annual holiday show are invited to join from the comfort of their seats at the Shea Theater Arts Center.
The performances, presented by Eggtooth Productions, will take place on Friday, Dec. 5 and Saturday, Dec. 6 from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Shea Theater, 71 Avenue A in Turners Falls. The show is family-friendly and open to all ages.
The performance is inspired by the 1993 Tim Burton film “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and is not a recreation of that movie, said Joe Dulude II, who originated the Mr. Drag character. Specifically, the show takes inspiration from the theme of characters finding themselves in an unusual place with strange circumstances.
“It’s like a show within a show,” Dulude explained.
In the story, Mr. Drag and the Drag Sisters, Jinnfer and Ellsbeth, along with their friend Karl, decide to take their holiday show on tour. While they’re flying, they have to make an emergency landing into a quaint little town, the name of which will be debuted at the show, Dulude explained.
When the group arrives to said small town, he said they try to find a place to stay the night before Dragmas, which happens to be a big celebration in this community. That same night, the show’s script is murdered, leaving the cast without a script.
“The whole thing is that the scripts murdered, so then all these things start happening,” Dulude said.
For one, Mr. Drag finds himself interested in a new character, Jay (played by Jay Torres), who Dulude describes as the “typical Lifetime movie handyman.” Mr. Drag also meets his new arch nemesis, Dominique Espresso (Amelia Mosley), who Dulude said will engage in a “Dynasty”-inspired fracas similar to the on-screen rivalry of Alexis Carrington Colby (Joan Collins) and Dominique Deveraux (Diahann Carroll).
In this scripted, scriptless world, the character of Mr. Drag appears shocked when both of these new characters are given solos in the show (within the show). In previous performances, Mr. Drag is known as the individual who determines who will have a solo. But without a script, that designation power seems to disappear.
This year’s show features the fourth-wall breaking and pop-culture references of previous holiday shows, but was a script that came together rather quickly compared to previous shows, Dulude said.
“We got together in the spring, which is unusual for a read-through, and read through it,” he said, noting that the ideas flowed while he was abroad during a trip. “We’ve actually had a good amount of rehearsal time as well, which is something we haven’t always had in the past.”
Unlike previous years, this year’s production will have a full set and include costume changes. Dulude said this show provided an opportunity to work with two brand-new actors who are new to the language and nuance of the holiday show. After this experience, he said he believes that new characters can be written into the show with better ease for future performances.
When asked about what he hopes people are able to come away with from the show, Dulude said the mission has remained the same as it always has: to bring joy.
“I want them to leave feeling happy and good,” Dulude said, “and especially this year with everything being so dark and bleak, just to have a night where you can come and you can forget about everything that’s happening on the outside, and just laugh and have fun.”
To purchase tickets, visit https://www.showclix.com/event/nightmare-before-dragmas-. Tickets in advance are $20, and $25 at the door. Children under 13 are free.