Divas vs. Drag Queens: Kinky Boots, Dreamgirls, and La Cage Aux Folles
Divas and drag queens...which is which? You'd be correct if you guess the cast of 'Kinky Boots' is on the left and 'Dreamgirls' on the right.
You wouldn’t be amiss for wondering if there’s a drag convention going on in town. This week marks a seismic explosion of high heels, fake wigs, and sparkling gowns, as the Broadway tour of Kinky Boots comes to town to compete with local productions of Dreamgirls by Portland Center Stage and La Cage Aux Folles from Pixie Dust Productions for the most fabulous, sequin-drenched show in town.
Who needs RuPaul’s Drag Race when you can see whole productions of divas and drag queens duke it out for your attention? We size the shows up by the number of wigs, heels, awards, and wild cards (1000 non-lubricated condoms!).
We’re also giving away a pair of tickets to La Cage Aux Folles and Dreamgirls that we’re calling the Drag Queen Immersion Package. Enter here to win.
You can also read our interview with Kinky Boots' star drag queen Lola, Kyle Taylor Parker
|
KINKY BOOTS (2013) |
DREAMGIRLS (1982) |
LA CAGE AUX FOLLES (1984) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Story | A shoe factory owner tries to save his failing business with the help of a drag queen in need of some stilettos. | A trio of black singers sign up with a manager who will stop at nothing (including their happiness) to bring Motown to the white mainstream. | The owner of a gay nightclub and his drag queen partner try to pass as straight to fool the right-wing family of their son's fiance. Of course, everything goes wrong before going right. |
| No. of Awards |
6 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Score |
6 Tony Awards, including Best Book and Best Score 2 Grammy Awards |
6 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book, and Best Score (or 11, if we count the two revivals) |
| No. of Drag Queens/Divas | 7 drag queens |
8 divas 5 divos |
11 drag queens |
| No. of Wigs | 73 |
31 | 31 |
| No. of Heels |
60 pairs of high heels |
14 pairs of high heels |
33 pairs of high heels |
| No. of Costumes and Costume Changes |
150 costumes |
125 costume changes (nearly 1 costume change every minute of the show) |
107 costumes |
| No. of Fake Eyelashes |
7 pairs in each show |
20 pairs |
|
| Wild Card |
The show buys rhinestones by the gross. Each stone is placed on costumes one-by-one, which takes hours-upon-hours. |
During the run, the sound department will use over 1,000 non-lubricated condoms to protect the sensitive wireless microphone packs from the sweat of the dancing actors. |
|
| Show Dates | Thru Oct 5 |
