Drag Race fans and stars congratulate Jinkx Monsoon as she bags another big stage role
Jinkx Monsoon. (Getty)
Stars and fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race have rushed to congratulate two-time winner Jinkx Monsoon after she landed a new theatre role.
Monsoon is the only queen in the show’s history to win the reality series twice, having been crowned after season five in 2013 and again in 2022 for All Stars 7. Since then, the comedy queen has landed major roles on TV and in theatre, including an upcoming stint as one of Doctor Who’s campest villains of all time.
Last year, she took up her first Broadway role, starring as Mama Morton in Chicago. The non-binary star joined a host of entertainment legends who’ve previously taken on the part, including Jennifer Holliday, Patti LaBelle, Queen Latifah and Sofia Vergara.
Jinkx was lauded for her turn, and it seems other theatre directors were in the audience because she’s just secured her next big part.
Yesterday (28 February), Jinkx announced on social media that she’ll be taking on the leading role of Audrey in the off-Broadway revival of comedy horror musical, Little Shop of Horrors.
Audrey has to navigate her feelings for leading man Seymour Krelborn (he’ll be played by High School Musical star Corbin Bleu during Jinkx’s run), and avoid the treacherous chops of Audrey II.
Jinkx will get a solo song, “Somewhere That’s Green”, about Audrey’s love for Seymour and the dream of their blissful life together.
Announcing her role, Jinkx, who takes up the part on 2 April, wrote in a post on X/Twitter: “I’ve been keeping this secret for months. Little Shop of Horrors was my favourite movie musical as a kid but Audrey is a role I considered out of the realm of possibility for me.
“To get to play her in this incredible production is terribly exciting.
In response to the news, her army of fans and Drag Race sisters were quick to offer warm words of congratulations.
Chucky star Jennifer Tilly described the casting as “so fab”, while choreographer Todrick Hall called it “incredible”.
Meanwhile, Dylan Mulvaney wrote: “Most perfect casting ever,” and Mean Girls actor Daniel Franzese said: “Wow, you’re really doing it mama.”
And All Stars 8 contestant Mrs Kasha Davis promised: “Oh my gosh, I’ll be there.” Fellow Drag Race winner Jaida Essence Hall added a simple “Congratulations.”
Elsewhere, one fan said: “You’re taking the world by storm and I could not be more proud,” and a second raved: “Do you understand what it means, how it feels to see Jinkx Monsoon play the f*cking ingénue in a major classic musical theatre revival. Do you f*cking understand?”
It was announced earlier this month that Jinkx will be reprising her Chicago role on Broadway from 27 June to 12 July.
“Most of my life, and my entire artistic career, I have known the roles I would play well, but I also knew the industry was not yet giving actors like me the chance to prove it,” Jinkx said.
“Over the [past] decade, I, and queer artists like [me] have been chipping away at the antiquated ideas of gender and performance – leading to my life-changing run as Mama Morton in Chicago.”
