“At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen” reviewed by Julia W. Rath

**** Terry Guest dazzles us as the flashy and ebullient Courtney Berringers in the play “At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen.” This is a fun yet very moving show about an African-American drag queen who happens to die of AIDS at age 35 in the year 2004. But first, during her wake, the mourners (namely, members of today’s audience) are treated to one last hurrah! Loosely based on the life and death of Guest’s Uncle Anthony, Guest’s smartly written script has been marvelously produced in the hands of director Mikael Burke. Not only is the story told well, but Guest’s glitzy, gutsy, and gaudy performance as Courtney is exceptional. It is utterly beguiling when s/he plays such diverse characters as Ella Fitzgerald, Whitney Houston, Judy Garland, and Diana Ross. Courtney’s artistry, humor, and bold self-expression are on display when singing popular and jazz numbers that reflect the broader narrative of her life and career, marked by its personal struggles and triumphs.

Originally from a small town in Georgia, Courtney (who is also the humble Anthony Knighton) moves up in the world to become an entertainer par excellence but not before facing all sorts of challenges with regard to being queer. We see her lip-synching songs that reflect on her life experiences. For example, “Lucky Day” emphasizes the need to turn misfortune around and embrace a brighter future. Another example is “Come Rain or Come Shine”, which expresses the belief that love will endure whether times are good or bad, sunny or stormy. Highlights take place when Courtney takes out two separate moments to interact directly with members of the audience, so that all of us can get close to her flirtatiousness, charisma, pluckiness, and quick wit. And some of the best parts of the show are when she gets all gussied up as a drag queen to entertain us like there’s no tomorrow. (And obviously, there is no tomorrow, because we’re already at her wake!)

With the expectation of Courtney’s death from the very beginning of the show, the story becomes somewhat predictable, but it’s the examination of queer identity and hardship that makes things interesting. We witness Courtney’s interactions with her best friend and rival, the (white) drag queen Vickie Versailles (a/k/a Hunter Grimes), nicely performed by Paul Michael Thomson. Despite their differing backgrounds and origins, both Vickie and Courtney are very much the same and become each other’s foil and confidante. As the audience witnesses both men getting dressed and undressed, we also note their physical attributes underneath all the wigs and skirts, and we learn about a world that doesn’t fully accept the queer community as the authentic people whom they are. Yet the play demonstrates how Courtney and Vickie celebrate their individuality and camaraderie and push conventional boundaries, as they each possess the self-confidence that allows them to lead their authentic lives. The way that the script is put together also makes this production notable. Plot points center around movies, such as Philadelphia” starring Tom Hanks (with its reference to AIDS and the AIDS crisis) plus the ending from “Mahogany.”

Before the show starts, we hear gospel and soul music in the background and see a nicely laid-out multipurpose set by Alyssa Mohn, consisting of a stained glass window (with a female figure above—how telling!) and an altar on stage left, several arched mirrors in back, and a raised platform by two steps, where the audience is to envision a stage. Spencer Diaz Tootle’s prop design elaborates on this set by including a vanity table that holds two people plus several wigs, and a series of fancy dresses/outfits along one entire wall, together with Spanish moss that hangs from the ceiling over the stage. These seem to resemble boas—but sadly, these boas are dying: The moss becomes an excellent representation of how the AIDS crisis has affected so many people in the LGBTQ+ community—while it’s also indicative of the type of plant that might grow in the warm weather of the American South. Brenden Marble’s lighting design enhances the performance, with spotlights for the various song numbers, flat lighting for the scenes where the characters interact with each other, and so on. Sound design by Ethan Korvne couldn’t be any better, considering the mix of voice and music throughout the show—and all the remixes and original music that play in different scenes. Danyelle Monson has done a fine job choreographing the various numbers and has worked nicely with director Burke in making sure that the action takes place throughout the entire stage, so as to move from one aspect of the drag queen’s life to another and from one moment of reflection to the next.

Above all, what makes this show outstanding is its costume design and makeup. Racquel Postilgione’s wardrobe for each of the characters is superb! I loved the selection of clothes that ranged from the mundane to the outrageous and especially enjoyed the shimmering outfits. Ayanna Bria Bakari’s wig design is superior, such as when we see the characters change clothing and hairstyles and transform into brand new personas right in front of our eyes. The (exaggerated) costumes are what make for a colorful presentation as a whole, whose joyfulness cannot be overstated.

Despite the inevitability of Courtney’s tragic demise, she has the wonderful ability to make people around her live “in the moment” as she struts her stuff and channels all manner of female artists. Yet the audience always remembers that there is some measure of pain beneath it all. This is a type of pain that Guest alludes to in his director’s note, where he mentions how current American politics and culture have changed in recent years, such that drag is no longer as mainstream as it once was. But let’s put all that aside for the moment…. Courtney’s wake is the right occasion to remember the person whom she once was and to honor her brief life in all its passion and daring. It’s the right time to let her know that her life was valued and that her legacy is now worthy of a great celebration—and a great production!

“At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen” is playing through May 18, 2025, at the Raven Theatre, Schwartz Stage, 6157 N. Clark St. (at Granville), in Chicago.

$25 (general admission tickets), plus a convenience fee of $1.10 per ticket
$45 (pay-it-forward tickets), plus a convenience fee of $1.10 per ticket

Performance schedule:

Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.
Sundays at 3:00 p.m.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit: https://thestorytheatre.org/tickets/. or call 773-338-2177.

Special group rates are available. For more information, call 773-338-2177 or email brenna@thestorytheatre.org.

To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen”.