Alaska Thunderf*ck Exposes the Less Glamorous Reality of Drag with Drag: The Musical

In creating Drag: The Musical, drag icon Alaska Thunderf*ck wanted to create a show that embraced the gloriously seedy reality of drag—not the clean, sanitized version of the art form that exists largely to cater to straight people. “It’s not just feathers and fabulousness,” she explained to Broadway.com Editor-in-Chief Paul Wontorek. “It’s also smelly, sticky, gross and absurdly expensive.”

The show, in which Alaska (aka Justin Andrew Honard) also stars, centers on a feud between two rival drag houses, the Cathouse and the Fish Tank. “Cats and fish don’t like each other historically,” Alaska explained. Beyond that, she said, “it's about a bunch of people who find out something about themselves through the power of drag.”

Growing up in Erie, Pennsylvania, Justin was a shy kid. “I was like, don't talk to me. I'm terrified. I don't want anyone to know that I'm gay.” Theater changed everything. “Mrs. Urbanovitz, the teacher, she was like, 'Where did you come from? Oh my god, a boy who can sing!' … So yes, I got the lead in f**king everything.” Justin starred in school productions of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Oklahoma! and The Music Man.

After dabbling in drag during her time studying theater at the University of Pittsburgh, Justin moved to Los Angeles, initially resolving to pursue serious acting. “And then I found out being a serious actor is really hard,” she said. “It takes a lot of discipline and work.” She dove back into drag “because I just wanted to be a freak and get drunk,” she admitted. Before long, though, Alaska Thunderf*ck was born, and it became her life.

Today, Alaska is bemused by the mainstreamification of drag culture. “There are young people who look at drag queens like role models. What? In what bizarre world? But we are and I love that. There are worse things to be than a drag queen for sure.”

Check out the full segment below.