Maurice Mantini

Chill with another cool Indy Drag parody

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By John Lyle Belden

Do you want to see a gay man? / Though it’s more than being gay. /

The musical that you adore / Has become something more / In an Indy Drag way! /

So now they’re doing “Frozen” / And they made it hot! /

This could make you a big Drag fan, / And a Drag King plays the snowman.

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Indy Drag Theatre wraps up its fabulous 2025 season with “Frozen: A Drag Parody Musical” at The District Theatre.

Somehow, a fairy-tale story seems even more magical done in the style of Drag, with its exaggerated makeup, wigs, and outfits, and every actor accustomed to being a completely different person than one might see offstage. As this show is mostly lip-synched to audio of the movie and stage versions of the Disney tale, with appropriate costumes, this is a production for all ages (provided “drag queen story hour” doesn’t upset you).

This tale of royal siblings Elsa and Anna features* Lollypop Lyx and B.B. Rosè as their younger selves, with Natalie Port-Ma’am as Queen Elsa and Meadowlark Lane as Princess Anna.

The story doesn’t deviate from the familiar plot: After a childhood accident, Elsa isolates herself with efforts to control her icy weather-based powers. At her coronation, she gets upset at Anna for impulsively becoming engaged to Prince Hans of the Southern Isles (Taron Closeoff) and without meaning to, brings eternal winter to Arendelle. With Elsa hiding away in in the mountains of the Norway-esque kingdom, Anna seeks to reach her with the help of a helpful ice-seller, Kristoff (Jared Matthew), and his faithful reindeer Sven (Norah Borealis).

Popular local entertainer Maurice Mantini works his magic as the enchanted snowman, Olaf; he also plays the girls’ father, King Agnarr, with Gayle Thyme as Queen Iduna. The cast also features Cadence as Oaken, the “hygge” proprietor of the general store and sauna; Rodick as a rather nimble Duke of Weselton; Desiree ‘Denzel’ Bouvier and Ramon Flowers (aka Pricilla Vaggina) as Pabbie and Bulda of the Nordic “Hidden Folk;” as well as Canila Carpenter, Loralei Diamond, Faith Camire, and Cheri Walker-Owens.

For the performance we attended, Matthew had a prior commitment, so understudy Eli Rose nicely filled in as Kristoff.

The show was directed by Dottie B. Minerva and choreographer April Rosè. Sydnie Blair is stage manager. Imaginative sets were designed by Josh Morrow & Tony, with props by Ailish Forner. Giving the fabulous looks are Maria Fruit with costumes, Celeste Al’Dreams with makeup, and wigs by Oriana Peròn.

The company’s diva-level standards of performance are again maintained. Everyone gives their all, from Natalie’s triumph as the Ice Queen to Norah’s endearing deer. This not only showcases the visual spectacle of Drag culture, but also the compelling gestures and emoting that enraptured cinema fans in the silent-movie era.

Also, it’s so much fun.

Performances of this funky “Frozen” are Thursday through Sundy, Nov. 20-23, at The District Theatre, 627 Massachusetts Ave., Indianapolis. Get tickets at indydragtheatre.org.

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*(Note: Out of respect for the art form and its performers, they are identified by their Drag names as given in the show program.)

They-dunit! Indy Drag gets a ‘Clue’

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By John Lyle Belden

“Lip-synch for your life” takes on fresh meaning as Indy Drag Theatre brings us the camp cult classic featuring Tim Curry (no, not that one!) – “Clue” – the whodunit film that cast big Hollywood stars to make up for the fact that it’s based on a board game.

Director Vera Vanderwoude St. Clair* admitted being concerned at first in staging IDT’s first non-musical. But the cast and crew of this production slay! An ingenious set design by Miss Kay-Ottic lets us into all the various rooms from the game board and movie. Makeup design by Ciara Myst gives everyone a unified Agatha-Christie-nightmare look befitting both the drag mystique and gothic atmosphere. The killer costumes are by Anthony Sirk, with wigs by Hair By Blair. Choreography is by April Rosè.

Like all IDT parodies, the source material – mainly the 1985 film by Jonathan Lynn and John Landis – provides the audio and sound effects, with some surprise samples from other media thrown in for fun. The voices may sound familiar, like Martin Mull’s bluster or Madeline Kahn’s famously improvised “flames” monologue, but they take on new life neatly mimed by Indy-area performers.

Joe Wagner makes a brilliant IDT debut as Wadsworth, making the surly and sassy butler his own. The frantic “reenactments” toward the end(s) are hilariously fascinating. Fresh off her successful tour of different parts of Indianapolis, Madison Avenue charms as the maid, Yvette. Natalie Port-Ma’am is saucy as the Cook.

Our guests/suspects are Maria Fruit as Miss Scarlet, Brentlee Bich as Mrs. Peacock, St. Pussifer as Mrs. White, Maurice Mantini as Colonel Mustard, Freddie Fatale as Professor Plum, and Johnee Crash as Mr. Green – allegedly the only homosexual on the stage (go figure!). Finally, Dottie B. Minerva drops in and drops dead as Mr. Boddy.  We also encounter a mysterious motorist (Gayle Thyme), cop (Calyko Magick-Waffle), and singing telegram (Nicole Sherlock). And watch out for the aggressive “dog.”

The show follows the movie (a bizarre mystery set in the 1950s), of course, but there are plenty of over-the-top antics to enhance the lines you might know by heart. And yes, we do get all three solutions.

Performances of “Clue: A Drag Parody” are Thursday through Sunday, Aug. 7-10, at the District Theatre, 627 Massachusetts Ave., Indianapolis. Info and tickets at indydragtheatre.org.

*(Note: Out of respect for the art form and its performers, they are identified by their Drag names as given in the show program.)