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Get Out! GAY Magazine – Issue 534

Featuring content from the hottest gay and gay-friendly spots in New York, each (free!) issue of Get Out! highlights the bars, nightclubs, restaurants, spas and other businesses throughout NYC’s metropolitan area that the city’s gay a population is interested in.

Featuring content from the hottest gay and gay-friendly spots in New York, each (free!) issue of Get Out! highlights the bars, nightclubs, restaurants, spas and other businesses throughout NYC’s metropolitan area that the city’s gay a population is interested in.

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ISSUE #<strong>534</strong><br />

COVER:<br />

ARIEL<br />

SINCLAIR<br />

PHOTO CREDIT: JIZZABELLA<br />

PUBLISHER MICHAEL TODD<br />

MIKE@GETOUTMAG.COM<br />

DESIGN AGOTA CORREA<br />

AGOTA@GETOUTMAG.COM<br />

CELEBRITY INTERVIEWER EILEEN SHAPIRO<br />

@EILEENSHAPIRO3<br />

NYC’S NIGHTLIFE AWARD WINNING BLOGGER/<br />

WRITER & INTERVIEWER JIM SILVESTRI<br />

NIGHTLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER WILSONMODELS<br />

JEASO86@HOTMAIL.COM<br />

The publications of MJT/GOOTH ENTERTAINMENT, getoutmag.com or any<br />

other related print or Web publications or social media accounts, their images,<br />

quotations or articles should not be construed to be an indication of the sexual<br />

orientation of anyone portrayed therein.<br />

All Content © Copyright 2019<br />

MJT/GOOTH ENTERTAINMENT<br />

25-21 45TH STREET ASTORIA, NY 11103<br />

GET OUT OF THE HOUSE ENTERTAINMENT EST. 2009


BY BEN NELSON<br />

PHOTO CREDIT: STEVEN LOVE MENENDEZ<br />

LADY BUNNY IS IN FULL BLOOM<br />

Hilarious New Spring Show, April Fool<br />

No one associates the 61-year-old drag queen<br />

Lady Bunny with anything fresh, but the<br />

old dog did learn a few tricks over the winter<br />

months. She’s been performing shows out<br />

west, where audiences have cheered her new<br />

material, including her self-penned dance<br />

track about Ozempic.<br />

Beginning April 12, she’ll return to NYC’s<br />

Green Room 42 for four hilarious shows of<br />

her spring comedy special, Lady Bunny: April<br />

Fool. “Last year, I broke my toe and had to<br />

perform in one of those awful boots,” Bunny<br />

recalls. “This year, I guess I’ll have to come<br />

up with another excuse for not being able to<br />

dance.”<br />

Her latest parody medleys skewer celebrities<br />

like Todrick Hall and RuPaul. She also draws<br />

inspiration from Beyonce’s “Texas Hold ‘Em”,<br />

performing a slew of reinterpreted versions<br />

of downhome country ditties made popular<br />

by Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, Bobbie<br />

Gentry, Gretchen Wilson and Shania Twain.<br />

In addition, Bunny presents an original<br />

country song she wrote about love on<br />

a farm.<br />

be wearing another loud, tacky floral print<br />

muumuu to match the show’s springtime<br />

theme.<br />

Lady Bunny’s comic genius has been<br />

featured in films and television, including<br />

Wig, the HBO Wigstock documentary, and<br />

Bianca Del Rio’s Hurricane Bianca: From<br />

Russia with Hate. Later this summer, Bunny<br />

will appear in Playland, a film that Variety<br />

calls “a haunting and haunted collage of<br />

queer history comes to life.”<br />

LADY BUNNY: APRIL FOOL takes place at the<br />

Green Room on the fourth floor of Yotel NYC<br />

(570 Tenth Avenue between 41st and 42nd).<br />

April 12, 14, 17, 24 at 7pm. Tickets are<br />

$22 at https://thegreenroom42.venuetix.com.<br />

18+ only. Please note that there is also a<br />

food/drink minimum at all performances; full<br />

dinner menu available.<br />

For fans of the comedian’s trademark<br />

Laugh-In joke routines, Bunny adds<br />

zingers that target Wendy Williams’<br />

dementia diagnoses and Caitlyn<br />

Jenner’s busy few months celebrating<br />

both Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.<br />

She gets political, too. In one bit, she<br />

announces how “Joe Biden has a new<br />

VP pick who will spruce up his image<br />

and make him look younger: Dianne<br />

Feinstein!” She later muses how “You<br />

really have to<br />

give Trump credit—because he’s<br />

completely out of cash!​”<br />

And then there’s the fashion. Says<br />

Bunny, “I’ll be wearing several stunning<br />

new gowns.” In other words, she’ll


getoutmag.com week in pictures<br />

MISS MONSTER PAGEANT @ MONSTER BAR<br />

>> BY WILSONMODELS / wilsonmodels.blogspot.com


getoutmag.com week in pictures<br />

BLACK PARTY @ STAGE 48<br />

>> BY WILSONMODELS / wilsonmodels.blogspot.com


getoutmag.com week in pictures >> BY WILSONMODELS / wilsonmodels.blogspot.com<br />

NIGHT OF 1000 GOWNS @ HILTON MIDTOWN


getoutmag.com week in pictures >> BY WILSONMODELS / wilsonmodels.blogspot.com<br />

NIGHT OF 1000 GOWNS @ HILTON MIDTOWN


#1 PRESCRIBED<br />

HIV TREATMENT*<br />

*Source: IQVIA NPA Weekly, 04/19/2019 through 01/20/2023.<br />

ELIAS<br />

SWITCHED TO BIKTARVY<br />

Listen to REAL STORIES<br />

being told by REAL VOICES.<br />

No matter where life takes you,<br />

Because HIV doesn’t change who you are.<br />

BIKTARVY® is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used<br />

to treat HIV-1 in certain adults. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.<br />

Ask your healthcare provider if BIKTARVY is right for you.<br />

People featured take BIKTARVY and are compensated by Gilead.


IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®<br />

This is only a brief summary of important information about<br />

BIKTARVY® and does not replace talking to your healthcare<br />

provider about your condition and your treatment.<br />

(bik-TAR-vee)<br />

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION<br />

ABOUT BIKTARVY<br />

BIKTARVY may cause serious side<br />

effects, including:<br />

Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV)<br />

infection. Your healthcare provider<br />

will test you for HBV. If you have<br />

both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may<br />

suddenly get worse if you stop<br />

taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop<br />

taking BIKTARVY without first<br />

talking to your healthcare provider,<br />

as they will need to check your<br />

health regularly for several months,<br />

and may give you HBV medicine.<br />

ABOUT BIKTARVY<br />

BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day<br />

prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1<br />

in adults and children who weigh at least<br />

55 pounds. It can either be used in people<br />

who have never taken HIV-1 medicines<br />

before, or people who are replacing<br />

their current HIV-1 medicines and whose<br />

healthcare provider determines they meet<br />

certain requirements.<br />

BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.<br />

HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS.<br />

Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take<br />

a medicine that contains:<br />

dofetilide<br />

rifampin<br />

any other medicines to treat HIV-1<br />

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY<br />

BIKTARVY may cause serious side<br />

effects, including:<br />

Those in the “Most Important Information<br />

About BIKTARVY” section.<br />

Changes in your immune system.<br />

Your immune system may get stronger<br />

and begin to fight infections that may<br />

have been hidden in your body.<br />

Tell your healthcare provider if you<br />

have any new symptoms after you<br />

start taking BIKTARVY.<br />

Kidney problems, including kidney<br />

failure. Your healthcare provider<br />

should do blood and urine tests to<br />

check your kidneys. If you develop<br />

new or worse kidney problems, they<br />

may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY.<br />

Too much lactic acid in your blood<br />

(lactic acidosis), which is a serious<br />

but rare medical emergency that can<br />

lead to death. Tell your healthcare<br />

provider right away if you get these<br />

symptoms: weakness or being more<br />

tired than usual, unusual muscle<br />

pain, being short of breath or fast<br />

breathing, stomach pain with nausea<br />

and vomiting, cold or blue hands and<br />

feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a<br />

fast or abnormal heartbeat.<br />

Severe liver problems, which in rare<br />

cases can lead to death. Tell your<br />

healthcare provider right away<br />

if you get these symptoms: skin or<br />

the white part of your eyes turns<br />

yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine,<br />

light-colored stools, loss of appetite<br />

for several days or longer, nausea, or<br />

stomach-area pain.<br />

The most common side effects of<br />

BIKTARVY in clinical studies were<br />

diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and<br />

headache (5%).<br />

These are not all the possible side effects<br />

of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare<br />

provider right away if you have any new<br />

symptoms while taking BIKTARVY.<br />

You are encouraged to report negative<br />

side effects of prescription drugs to the<br />

FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or<br />

call 1-800-FDA-1088.<br />

Your healthcare provider will need to<br />

do tests to monitor your health before<br />

and during treatment with BIKTARVY.<br />

Continued on next page.<br />

Please see Important Facts, including important warnings, continued on the<br />

next page and at BIKTARVY.com.


#1 PRESCRIBED<br />

HIV TREATMENT*<br />

REAL STORIES<br />

REAL VOICES<br />

ELIAS CHAD D’EVA<br />

HUGO<br />

NIKKI<br />

THERON<br />

DIMITRI<br />

ZACH<br />

PHIL<br />

Meet a few of the extraordinary people who take BIKTARVY.<br />

Watch their stories at BIKTARVY.com<br />

IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY® (cont’d)<br />

BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY<br />

Tell your healthcare provider if you:<br />

Have or have had any kidney or liver<br />

problems, including hepatitis infection.<br />

Have any other health problems.<br />

Are pregnant or plan to become<br />

pregnant. It is not known if BIKTARVY<br />

can harm your unborn baby. Tell your<br />

healthcare provider if you become<br />

pregnant while taking BIKTARVY.<br />

Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to<br />

breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can<br />

be passed to the baby in breast milk.<br />

Tell your healthcare provider about all<br />

the medicines you take:<br />

Keep a list that includes all prescription<br />

and over-the-counter medicines,<br />

antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal<br />

supplements, and show it to your<br />

healthcare provider and pharmacist.<br />

BIKTARVY and other medicines<br />

may affect each other. Ask your<br />

healthcare provider and pharmacist<br />

about medicines that interact with<br />

BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to<br />

take BIKTARVY with all your<br />

other medicines.<br />

HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY<br />

Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or<br />

without food.<br />

GET MORE INFORMATION<br />

This is only a brief summary of important<br />

information about BIKTARVY. Talk to<br />

your healthcare provider or pharmacist<br />

to learn more.<br />

Go to BIKTARVY.com or call<br />

1-800-GILEAD-5.<br />

If you need help paying for your<br />

medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com for<br />

program information.<br />

Please see Important Facts, including important warnings, above and at BIKTARVY.com.<br />

BIKTARVY, the BIKTARVY Logo, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, and KEEP BEING YOU are<br />

trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies.<br />

© 2023 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. US-BVYC-0296 06/23


BY EILEEN SHAPIRO<br />

CELEBRITY CORRESPONDENT<br />

ARIEL SINCLAIR<br />

Celebrating 30 Years on Fire Island<br />

This Year, Poolside @ The Ice Palace<br />

Ariel Sinclair is one of the most creative,<br />

professional and fabulous queens to<br />

ever grace the New York nightlife scene,<br />

but she is also a Fire Island queen, and<br />

this year marks her 30th anniversary<br />

doing her pool shows at the Ice Palace<br />

in Cherry Grove. Ariel’s performances<br />

are not like a thunderbolt, but rather<br />

the perfect storm, and she is loved and<br />

cherished by everyone that knows her.<br />

As an extra added bonus, in addition<br />

to her 30th season in the Grove, Ariel<br />

will be hosting this year’s Miss Fire<br />

Island pageant, alongside RuPaul’s Drag<br />

Race winner Sasha Colby. This summer<br />

promises to be like none other at the<br />

Palace, partly because of Daniel Nardicio<br />

and friends, but also because of Ariel.<br />

I had an enchanting conversation with<br />

the queen regarding all the questions I<br />

ever wanted to ask her and about this<br />

summer’s adventure.<br />

INTERVIEW >>><br />

Hello, Ariel. What is going on<br />

in your life at the moment?<br />

Well, the 30th season on Fire<br />

Island is starting.<br />

How did you get your first gig<br />

on Fire Island?<br />

My first gig on Fire Island was<br />

a pool show. The first time,<br />

actually, on Fire Island, I entered<br />

the Miss Fire Island contest in<br />

about 1984. I didn’t win. Then I<br />

became friends with Sal Piro and<br />

he started inviting me back year<br />

after year to do the pool show.<br />

I started officially working there<br />

in 1994.<br />

So you’ve been doing this pool<br />

show for 30 years. There must<br />

be something about you that<br />

everyone loves.<br />

I know. Like I said, I am very<br />

blessed. Sometimes you wonder<br />

how are you going to do this<br />

and then before you know it, five<br />

seasons go by. I’ve seen two<br />

owners go already<strong>–</strong>this is the<br />

third owner now.<br />

So how do you decide who is<br />

going to be in the show and<br />

what you are going to do?<br />

I try to give the new baby drag<br />

queens a chance, like somebody<br />

did for me when I first started.<br />

<strong>Get</strong> some fresh blood out there.<br />

I make sure it’s a good variety<br />

show and that not everyone is<br />

doing the same thing.<br />

Who taught you how to put on<br />

your makeup?<br />

I did. No one ever did my<br />

makeup. When I first started<br />

doing it, I did it horribly. It was a<br />

mess. The more you do it, the<br />

better you get. Practice made<br />

perfect for me.


How did you get your name?<br />

Ariel, I had the name before the<br />

mermaid did. I think it was a<br />

Greek archangel. I never heard<br />

it before, so I thought, “I’m going<br />

to go with Ariel”. Then, years<br />

later, I did some pageants and<br />

they suggested it was better<br />

if I had a last name. Sinclair<br />

just kind of flew and the rest is<br />

history.<br />

What do you recall as your<br />

most fun year at Fire Island?<br />

My best year was definitely<br />

2002 because that year I<br />

was Miss Long Island from<br />

the Bunkhouse, I was the<br />

homecoming queen in Cherry<br />

Grove, and I won Miss Long<br />

Island, all in the same year. That<br />

was a good year.<br />

What was your most<br />

embarrassing moment ever?<br />

I’m sure it was like when my wig<br />

came off during a show. You’re<br />

dancing around and your wig<br />

goes flying. Then there was<br />

another time this guy grabbed<br />

me and jumped into the pool.<br />

I hit the bottom and came up<br />

with no wig on and my makeup<br />

running all<br />

over the<br />

place. I’m<br />

sure there are<br />

a lot more.<br />

How many<br />

years do<br />

you plan on<br />

doing this<br />

pool show?<br />

‘Till I’m dead.<br />

I definitely<br />

want to be<br />

cremated<br />

and have my<br />

ashes spread<br />

all over<br />

Fire Island.<br />

Whenever<br />

people go to<br />

the beach,<br />

I tell them,<br />

“This isn’t<br />

sand, it’s<br />

people’s ashes”.<br />

Do you have a favorite queen?<br />

I love every queen. They are all<br />

beautiful and talented in their<br />

own way. As a queen myself, I<br />

appreciate everything they do.<br />

Who do you hate most?<br />

Nobody, LOL I don’t hate<br />

anybody.<br />

What made you even get into<br />

drag? What’s your story?<br />

The first time for drag was<br />

definitely Halloween. I have<br />

pictures of me at four years old<br />

with my mother’s wig on. And<br />

then it kind of went away and<br />

came back. I did it one year<br />

for Halloween and once that<br />

started, I wanted to do it more<br />

often. One of the first shows<br />

I did was the Silver Lining in<br />

Floral Park.<br />

Nowadays, you work more<br />

than probably anybody that I<br />

know. How do you have time<br />

for a social life? Or do you<br />

have a social life?<br />

My work is social. I meet a lot<br />

of people when I’m doing the<br />

shows and I have fun while I’m<br />

doing it. It’s a job where I could<br />

have fun and be social at the<br />

same time. When I’m not doing<br />

it, I don’t want to talk to anybody.<br />

I just want to be left alone. The<br />

work is very social and you<br />

always have to be on.<br />

You are probably one of the<br />

most professional queens.<br />

What do you attribute that to?<br />

Hard work. Definitely something<br />

I learned from my parents. They<br />

taught me to treat people the<br />

way you wanted to be treated. I<br />

try to always be on time. I try to<br />

help out and be a kind person.<br />

That’s it. It’s not easy, but<br />

alcohol definitely helps.<br />

What’s your favorite drink?<br />

Stoli Razberi and soda with<br />

cranberry.<br />

Do you have anything planned<br />

yet for this year?<br />

My plan for the summer is to<br />

have really good shows. Daniel<br />

Nardicio has a lot of really great<br />

people coming<strong>–</strong>Bernadette<br />

Peters and a great lineup this<br />

summer on Fire Island.<br />

PHOTOS BY JIZZABELLA


Daniel is so invested in the Ice Palace because for a<br />

while it was just not doing anything. It needed a little<br />

facelift and now it’s a fun place again. And I’m excited<br />

the pool will be open this year. Last summer, it wasn’t<br />

open and we couldn’t go in the water because of the<br />

sharks.<br />

When does your season start?<br />

May 19th is the first pool show of the summer. My show<br />

will always be on Sundays.<br />

So tell me everything else you are doing.<br />

Saturday’s - host @ Lips Restaurant, The ultimate in<br />

drag dining.<br />

Monday’s - Bingo 9-11pm @ The Stonewall Inn<br />

April 17th Bingo 7-9pm @ The Merrow, Long Beach<br />

April 18th Bingo 7-9pm @ One Trick Pony, West<br />

Hampton, NY<br />

April 25th Bingo 7-9pm @ La Buena Vida, Moriches, NY<br />

Starting May 19th through this summer, celebrating 30<br />

years at The Ice Palace on Fire Island<br />

Sunday Pool show 3pm sharp<br />

Monday’s Bingo 5pm<br />

Tuesday’s Bingo 9-11pm @ The Island Mermaid, Ocean<br />

Beach, NY<br />

SOCIALS<br />

Instagram: @sinclair_ariel<br />

Facebook: Ariel sinclair


BY GETOUT MAGAZINE<br />

Trendy Long Island Hotspot<br />

Opens Filled With Glitter,<br />

Glam and <strong>GAY</strong>S!<br />

Calling all Sinners and Saints! The days of queer folk having no choice but to make<br />

tedious commutes into the city in search of a safe and sexy night out are coming to an<br />

end. Halo Bar, Lounge, and Nightclub celebrates its official opening in Oceanside, New<br />

York. Open seven days a week and featuring weekly drag performances, DJs, Bingo,<br />

trivias, and specialty themed events, Halo has ignited boldly as a beacon of light and<br />

hope for the LGBTQ+ community.<br />

Housed in the location of a former gay bar, the walls of Halo create a sanctuary for<br />

individuals of any orientation, gender, or identity, where all can feel safe to express<br />

themselves, create, and most importantly, share love. As any fabulous gay bar should,<br />

Halo serves immaculate vibes from the second you emerge through the doors. From<br />

Insta-worthy LED moments and uniquely curated decor to the minute details of queer<br />

art immersed on the walls, the space at 3297R Long Beach Road, Oceanside has been<br />

revitalized to create a chic speakeasy type feel (with lots of hints of purple and gold!).<br />

“Halo was created for our community out of a combination of both absence and<br />

necessity,” shares Kyle Savage, co-owner of the club. “There is no other place on Long<br />

Island that is producing daily events specifically designed for the gay community.<br />

Every day customers come in with such gratitude and appreciation that we are here,<br />

and that’s how I know we’re giving them more than just an experience; we’re giving<br />

them a home, a second family.”


PHOTO CREDIT: HALO NIGHTCLUB<br />

As the new kid on the block, Halo is fast and furiously building a pristine reputation for<br />

its themed events and dance parties featuring queer DJs, artists, designers, and drag<br />

performers. “Being part of the Halo family isn’t just fun, but it’s so important to me as<br />

a drag performer to be a part of a team that is trying to make sure that the Long Island<br />

LGBTQIA+ community has a place they can go to feel safe and also have the time of their<br />

lives” says drag queen Bella Noche.<br />

Whether you pop in on a Monday for one of their movie nights, text the group chat to<br />

check out a drag event, or dress to impress for one of the iconic Saturday night dance<br />

parties, you are guaranteed to feel the magnetism of the Halo energy immediately upon<br />

your visit. “The bartenders are always super friendly and attentive. It’s a great place for<br />

the community and allies to gather,” shares Nassau resident Jason Schaefer.<br />

“We are happy to be here as the newest gay owned and operated bar, safe and inclusive<br />

for the community,” says co-owner Robert Lassegue, who boasts years of experience<br />

managing the famed Ice Palace in Cherry Grove. Want to dance under the halo? Check<br />

out Halo on Instagram at @halo_oceanside or visit their website at www.halobar.us for<br />

upcoming event schedules.


NOW EXTENDED<br />

WE WON THE POPULAR VOTE!<br />

"HILARIOUS!<br />

YOU CAN'T MISS THIS!"<br />

- PIX11 NEWS<br />

BOOK & LYRICS BY<br />

SHIMMY BRAUN &<br />

MOSHIEL NEWMAN DAPHNA<br />

MUSIC & LYRICS BY<br />

BILLY RECCE<br />

DIRECTED & CHOREOGRAPHED BY<br />

JEN WINEMAN<br />

THE PARODY<br />

MUSICAL<br />

IVANA . MARLA . MELANIA . STORMY . IVANKA<br />

HENRY VIII AND HIS SIX WIVES HAD NOTHING ON<br />

DONALD, THE 45TH, AND THESE FIVE LADIES...<br />

THEATER 555 . 555 WEST 42ND ST.<br />

FIVETHEMUSICAL.COM . @FIVETHEMUSICAL


BY JIM SILVESTRI<br />

JASMINE<br />

RICE-LABEIJA<br />

NYC’S FAVORITE<br />

OPERA DRAG<br />

DIVA IS NOW THE<br />

FIRST LADY OF<br />

“FIVE.”<br />

INTERVIEW >>><br />

Q: Jasmine Rice LaBeija, hello!<br />

Thanks for finding time in your<br />

busy schedule to chat with us!<br />

Are you able to get in enough<br />

“Me time” since you started<br />

appearing in “Five: The Parody<br />

Musical?”<br />

Hi, Jim. Thank you for inviting<br />

me to this wonderful interview!<br />

I believe “Me time” is a state<br />

of mind. Whenever I feel like I<br />

need to concentrate and think<br />

about myself and my well being<br />

is considered “Me time” for me.<br />

Ever since I was a little kid, I<br />

have always lived in my own<br />

fantasy dreamland. So I am used<br />

to creating my own “Me time”<br />

wherever and wherever I want.<br />

Now if you are talking about time<br />

to “rest”, that is a different story.<br />

Q: Congratulations on “Five’s”<br />

extended run through the end<br />

of April at Theater 555! You’ve<br />

performed on many stages<br />

as a drag queen and an opera<br />

singer, but how unique is the<br />

experience of appearing in a<br />

musical production with a full<br />

cast?<br />

Thank you! I am so excited to be<br />

making my off-Broadway debut. It<br />

all happened quite fast. I basically<br />

only had a week to fully learn and<br />

get on stage. But the experience<br />

was and is amazing, as the whole<br />

cast and team welcomed me<br />

with open arms and gave me full<br />

support. This experience is quite<br />

unique as the whole cast and<br />

crew is so diverse<strong>–</strong>which made<br />

the process easier, in my opinion,<br />

as I felt safe enough to really<br />

express myself as a performer<br />

and vulnerable enough to ask<br />

for help when needed. It’s truly a<br />

dream team.<br />

STEPHEN LOVEKIN, SHUTTERSTOCK FOR FIVE, THE PARODY MUSICAL<br />

Q: “Five” is a loving parody of<br />

Broadway musicals in general,<br />

and also specifically the recent<br />

hit “Six”, which follows King<br />

Henry VIII’s sextet of wives.<br />

“Five” even adds today’s<br />

politics to the parody mix by<br />

making its characters five<br />

women in ex-President Trump’s<br />

life: current wife Melania,<br />

ex-wife Ivana, ex-wife Marla,<br />

daughter Ivanka and mistress<br />

Stormy Daniels.


You appear in a wonderful<br />

guest starring role as Hillary<br />

Clinton! So that’s a LOT of stuff,<br />

but it’s all good silly fun too.<br />

And the audiences obviously<br />

love it. What makes it so good,<br />

in your opinion?<br />

People always say, “it’s funny<br />

because it’s true.” I think that’s<br />

the magic of comedy. I think it’s<br />

so good because it is poking fun<br />

at a situation and a time where<br />

it’s quite shocking these things<br />

even actually happened. We are<br />

making these hard truths easy to<br />

swallow. No pun intended, lol. It’s<br />

also good because while we poke<br />

fun and joke about the situations<br />

that happened in these women’s<br />

lives, we also show how these<br />

women all come together as one<br />

at the end. To show the audience<br />

that even with all these different<br />

hardships and experiences these<br />

ladies have gone through, they<br />

have something in common that<br />

unites them. Which makes us<br />

realize that we are all human, with<br />

empathy and compassion.<br />

Q: How did you get this role?<br />

What was the casting process<br />

like?<br />

Well, the producers of the show<br />

have known me for years. They<br />

have seen me perform several<br />

times throughout<br />

my drag career.<br />

Moshiel called<br />

me one day and<br />

said, “My casting<br />

director and GM<br />

Chase is going<br />

to call you about<br />

a performance<br />

opportunity.” He<br />

called me that<br />

night to explain the<br />

show and offered<br />

the role. I just<br />

knew from the first<br />

moment Moshiel<br />

messaged me that<br />

it was going to be<br />

something special,<br />

so I accepted it on<br />

the spot.<br />

what’s the most surprising thing<br />

about being part of a production<br />

like this?<br />

I was truly surprised and in awe of<br />

everyone’s talent and dedication.<br />

At first, I was really skeptical of<br />

how I would play Hillary and fit in<br />

as an Asian 5’11 250 lbs individual.<br />

But when I saw how they<br />

created the show and the whole<br />

production, I was instantly made at<br />

ease to find my own voice within<br />

the character. That was really<br />

surprising to me. It almost took me<br />

back to my childhood of seeing<br />

Cinderella (1997). How the diverse<br />

cast made the TV movie so special<br />

and it was pure magic. I believe<br />

the whole cast and crew is making<br />

magic every night and it is truly a<br />

surprise every time we do a show.<br />

Q: I understand former Trump<br />

lawyer-turned-arch-nemesis<br />

Michael Cohen came to an early<br />

show. Did you get to meet him<br />

and did he give anyone any<br />

advice about their roles?<br />

I did not meet him. I wasn’t<br />

available for that meeting.<br />

Everyone has their journey and<br />

an ah-ha moment. I am glad to<br />

hear that he is now fighting for<br />

democracy and on the right side<br />

of history.<br />

Q: Do you feel more of a<br />

connection to Hillary now that<br />

you’re playing her?<br />

I’m not sure if connection is<br />

the correct word to use. I am<br />

definitely grateful to be playing her.<br />

Especially since she has paved<br />

the way for so many and the glass<br />

ceilings she has smashed. No<br />

matter where you stand politically,<br />

you can not deny the contributions<br />

she has made for our country. I<br />

believe she will go down in history<br />

as one of the greats and I am<br />

so honored to be playing her.<br />

Hopefully, I’ll get a chance to meet<br />

her one day.<br />

Q: “Five” is totally a fun<br />

show, but you are also a very<br />

politically minded and active<br />

queen. What’s your best<br />

advice to people out there<br />

today who are worried about<br />

the state of the country and<br />

the world?<br />

I’m not sure if I am someone<br />

to really give advice, but this is<br />

what I think: People sometimes<br />

make the mistake of being a<br />

one-issue voter or very narrow<br />

minded in their thinking of the<br />

issues. But life and the world is<br />

way more complex than that.<br />

Q: From your<br />

own recent<br />

experiences,<br />

STEPHEN LOVEKIN, SHUTTERSTOCK FOR FIVE, THE PARODY MUSICAL


If it was as simple as just making<br />

one small change, we would be<br />

living in a world peace era where<br />

everyone lives harmoniously. But<br />

as humans, we are flawed and<br />

that just simply can’t happen. I<br />

say educating yourself and trying<br />

to learn all issues as much as<br />

you can is very important, as<br />

knowledge is power. Everything is<br />

linked together and one action has<br />

a ripple effect that affects all. Also,<br />

not being scared or embarrassed<br />

of being wrong. You admitting you<br />

are wrong is also a form of you<br />

being right at the end.<br />

Q: If I may ask, how is your<br />

hearing? You experienced<br />

some sudden hearing loss right<br />

before the show, and I was<br />

wondering if you’ve been able<br />

to adjust or recover since that<br />

happened.<br />

That was such a troublesome<br />

time for me. I don’t know why my<br />

life is so dramatic. I guess I was<br />

just born to do drag, hahahaha.<br />

I suddenly woke up from my nap<br />

and was severely deaf in my left<br />

ear. Apparently, it is a medical<br />

mystery why people experience<br />

sudden hearing loss. Glad to<br />

report that most of my hearing<br />

is back, except for one specific<br />

frequency and I do still have<br />

some ringing. I also didn’t know<br />

so many people go through<br />

this. It was an eye opening and<br />

humbling experience. It made me<br />

realize all the things I have are so<br />

valuable and can not be taken for<br />

granted, as it can be gone in an<br />

instant. Everything happens for a<br />

reason and I do believe I became<br />

a stronger individual and an artist<br />

because of it.<br />

Q: When you’re not in “Five,”<br />

you host Saturday brunch at the<br />

Spot, “Lo & Behold” Sundays at<br />

Balcon and “Messy Mondays”<br />

at Rise Bar plus “Jasmine Live”<br />

at Pieces Bar on Thursdays.<br />

What else is coming up for you?<br />

I have some big performances<br />

coming up. One thing I can<br />

announce is that I will be at<br />

Caramoor this summer for their<br />

music festival which is presented<br />

in collaboration with the LOFT<br />

LGBTQ+ Community Center.<br />

I believe it is already sold out,<br />

but the waiting list is available.<br />

The best way to keep up with<br />

my project is definitely through<br />

social media. So, PLEASE follow<br />

me on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter,<br />

Venmo, Cashapp, PayPal, Zelle<br />

@JasmineRiceNYC<br />

Q: And finally: if you’ve had<br />

time to watch, who are you<br />

rooting for to win “Drag Race”<br />

Season 16?<br />

I really haven’t been able to catch<br />

up on Drag Race, as I’m doing<br />

eight shows a week, on top of my<br />

other drag shows. The only thing<br />

I’ve seen so far is when it pops up<br />

on my social media. From what I<br />

have seen, I think someone who<br />

has that star quality is Nymphia<br />

Wind. She is an incredible, well<br />

rounded drag artist. She can sew,<br />

do makeup, hair, and perform. I<br />

like someone who knows all the<br />

aspects of their craft. I also think<br />

she will go beyond S16. The<br />

ultimate true winner at the end of<br />

the day is not only winning your<br />

season, but if you can continue to<br />

keep people engaged after.


WINNER - LUCILLE LORTEL AWARDS<br />

OUTSTANDING MUSICAL<br />

“YOU'RE<br />

GUARANTEED TO<br />

LAUGH YOUR<br />

ICEBERG OFF! ”<br />

Dave Quinn<br />

people<br />

“A PERFECT<br />

MARRIAGE OF GREAT<br />

BROADWAY-CALIBER<br />

THEATER AND<br />

HARD COMEDY. ”<br />

MATT ROGERS<br />

LAS CULTURISTAS<br />

BOOK BY<br />

MUSICAL ARRANGEMENTS BY<br />

Nicholas Connell<br />

CHOREOGRAPHED BY<br />

Ellenore Scott<br />

DIRECTED BY<br />

DARYL ROTH THEATRE<br />

101 EAST 15TH ST, NYC<br />

TELECHARGE.COM<br />

800-447-7400<br />

TITANIQUEMUSICAL.COM<br />

@TitaniqueMusical<br />

#Titanique<br />

@Titanique

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