Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – In Sutton Lee Seymour’s savvily conceived BROADWAY BARBIE, the seasoned drag queen continues to mine the musical theater songbook

• By drediman
• May 20, 2024
• No Comments

This past weekend at The Green Room 42, I had the opportunity to catch the final night — at least here in New York — of Sutton Lee Seymour’s latest cabaret act. Entitled Broadway Barbie, the act savvily rides on the enormous success of the cinematic phenomenon that is Barbie. If you haven’t already surmised from her clever drag name, Sutton is a Broadway queen through and through, and her new show finds her once again mining the musical theater songbook to drive the performance.

If you’ve been to a drag show before, you’ll likely be familiar with the elements that make up Broadway Barbie — sharp humor, audience participation, the requisite costume changes, and of course plenty of shade. And similar to Sutton Lee Seymour (other queens schooled in musical theater) — in fact, the three of them once regularly performed together during, in my opinion, the golden days of Hell’s Kitchen’s “Musical Mondays” — live singing refreshingly plays an integral part in the show (most drag shows have a tendency of relying heavily on lip-synching). Starting with a bright rendition of “I’m Alive” from Xanadu, Sutton showcased her mastery at parodying Broadway showtunes to meet her needs. Highlights included cleverly modified versions of a pair of beloved songs from Company (“Getting Married Today” and “Being Alive”), a surprisingly straightforward account of the anthemic “I Am What I Am” from La Cage aux Folles (performed as a duet with Cacophony on Zoom), and of course “Suddenly, Seymour” from Little Shop of Horrors. Throughout, music director Mark Hartman, on keys, kept things moving along in a sprightly manner.

On Saturday night, Sutton was in sturdy, often robust voice. As the utter pro that she is, the seasoned drag queen was in complete control of her show, particularly in terms of her whip smart improvisation, knowledgeable Broadway banter, and confident delivery. Although technically based in New York, it’s a bit ironic that she scarcely performs in the Big Apple anymore. These days, Sutton largely does her entertaining on cruise ships and Puerto Vallarta (she was also the opening act for Bianca Del Rio’s recent world tour). If you missed Broadway Barbie’s brief stint in New York, it’s also slated for an extended residency in Provincetown this summer (if you’re lucky enough to find yourself in that neck of the woods).

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SUTTON LEE SEYMOUR: BROADWAY BARBIE
Cabaret
The Green Room 42
1 hour, 15 minutes (without an intermission)
Closed