Drag Race’s very own Michelle Visage is bringing a queer Edward Scissorhands musical to the UK

An image of Michelle Visage on a red carpet in a purple dress in 2023 and a graphic for new musical Scissorhandz

A queer reimagining of Tim Burton’s cult classic Edward Scissorhands is coming to the London stage, and RuPaul’s Drag Race legend Michelle Visage is helping produce it.

Scissorhandz: A Musical Reinvented will take the original gothic tale and turn it into a “radical, raucous” parody pop musical, featuring hits from the likes of Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and Alanis Morissette. 

Described as hilarious and deeply moving, Scissorhandz will flip the original film’s tale – about a man outcast because he’s different – and turn it into a celebration of queer “individuality and fierce self-expression,” according to Visage.

The Drag Race judge will be on hand as a co-producer with former *NSYNC band member Lance Bass, alongside producers Kelley Parker, Brian Pendleton, and the show’s writer and director, Bradley Bredeweg, possibly best-known as co-creator of The Fosters.

A graphic for new musical Scissorhandz
Scissorhandz A Musical Reinvented opens in January. (Supplied)

Scissorhandz will open at London’s Southwark Playhouse Elephant on 23 January and run until 29 March. The show’s cast is yet to be announced.

Visage described the show’s “energy, message and joy” as “everything we need right now”, adding: “In a world that feels a little upside down, this show is a celebration of life, individuality and fierce self-expression. It’s a reminder to live out loud and take up space. And let me tell you, we’re not just creating a show, we’re creating a movement.

“You know I’ll be throwing some fabulous parties during the run. I mean, what’s a Michelle Visage production without a little sparkle and sass? Get ready, because it’s going to be an unforgettable ride.”

Two photos of Michelle Visage in a blue suit and Lance Bass in a pink suit alongside each other.
Drag Race judge Michelle Visage and *NYSNC’s Lance Bass are co-producing Scissorhandz. (Supplied)

And Bass said: “It’s not just a musical, it’s a sensory journey, blending stunning visuals with a playlist packed with your favourite songs, making it feel like the soundtrack of your life.

“You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and, by the end, you’ll be on your feet, feeling like you’ve just experienced something truly unforgettable.”

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Director Bredeweg said he wanted to reimagine Burton’s classic because the film “meant the world” to him as a “lonely quirky gay kid growing up in the 80s and 90s”.

He went on to say: “That spirit of celebrating the weird and wonderful is at the core of Scissorhandz, a tribute musical and a parody rolled into one. Our thrill-ride of a show is packed with joy and heart, and it’s about owning exactly who you are, even if you happen to have scissors for hands.”

Tickets for Scissorhandz: A Musical Reinvented are available now.

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