Саша Велур представит шоу «Travesty» в Филадельфии: история, костюмы и наследие дрига

Sasha Velour has never viewed drag as something that belongs inside a neatly defined box. Since winning Season 9 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” the Brooklyn-based artist has continued expanding the form through her NightGowns variety show, her illustrated manifesto “The Big Reveal” and theatrical productions that blend lip sync, animation, costume design, history and performance art. Her latest production, “Travesty,” comes to Philadelphia’s Miller Theater on Sept. 17. Ahead of the engagement, Sasha Velour spoke with PGN about drag’s collaborative spirit, the lessons learned when live theater goes spectacularly wrong and the two artifacts she would place inside a Sasha Velour museum. You’re returning to Philadelphia with “Travesty.” How does this production fit into the larger Sasha Velour universe? I’m always trying to come up with some clever new way to entertain people onstage. I combine visuals, video, artwork and animation that I make myself, fabulous costumes, and the connections between theater, performance art and drag. I feel like “Travesty” is the next iteration of that experiment. It’s at the absolute pinnacle of anything I’ve ever done. It’s visually exciting and tells a sweeping story that’s really a tribute to the art and history of drag. There are plenty of personal bits in there as well — and it’s spooky, just in time for fall. Your work incorporates drag, theater and fine art. Does the word “drag” ever feel limiting when describing what you do? No, I always call myself a drag queen. I love that. I think drag is such a special way of making art, where anyone can take part, no matter their background. It really is for everyone to understand, relate to and scream at. There aren’t a lot of hierarchies in drag, and the collaborations are really creative. Costume designers are a huge part of the art. Sound and DJs — things that don’t necessarily shine in other art forms — are suddenly in the spotlight. I wear the title of drag queen with such pride. Everything you present feels incredibly precise. Has something ever gone completely wrong onstage? With this show, actually! We have a second projector that creates a “living mirror” effect at the back of the stage. It’s very complicated, and if it doesn’t go off at the right time, the whole number is screwed. There was one night when we had to restart a number three times. I just kept the audience giggling from the wings on the microphone. Drag has taught me not to panic when things go wrong, because something always goes wrong. My secret now is that I build disaster into other parts of the show on purpose. Then no one can tell if it’s a planned mistake, an artistic choice, or something that’s actually malfunctioning. I owe all of that to learning in real time. NightGowns gives drag artists a place to be storytellers instead of simply an opening act or a brief tip spot. Was it created in response to what mainstream drag wasn’t showcasing? I hadn’t thought of it that way, but that’s a beautiful summary. I do think of a great drag performance as a full piece of art. It is the main attraction. It’s the main act. That’s how I see drag and what I love about it. There are so many different ways to do it well. I try to set the stage nicely, make the show start on time, and get the lights working. I come from a serious artistic background. That was always my training, my interest and my passion. Drag reminds me not to take things too seriously, to have fun and to make everything a bit of a party, but I still treat the art itself with respect. I think that carries over into my shows. Do you ever watch younger performers from the wings and learn something from them? Absolutely. That’s how I learn everything. I can tell I’m getting — what do we say? Legendary — drag older — because now I see certain things and know I’m not going to be doing that. I’m no longer thinking, “I can’t wait to try that.” But I’ve earned my ballads now. I understand why you’re supposed to wait until a certain point before you can really give a ballad. I’m in the perfect part of my career. You’ve been open about being willing to return to “RuPaul’s Drag Race” for an all-winners season. Why would you want to go back? I’m such a different drag queen than I was on “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” That’s one of the reasons I want people to come out and see me live. I think people are surprised when they see what I’m like onstage at this point, almost 10 years later. I’m a different artist. I love being onstage. I have no regrets. When you watch the “Drag Race” season 9 finale lip sync of Whitney Houston’s “So Emotional” now, does it feel like watching someone else? It’s like watching a video from high school. I remember every moment of it, but from a very different angle. I remember the way the audience reacted. I remember the conversations Shea [Couleé, my competitor] and I had backstage. My heart still starts pounding whenever it plays. I get pulled right back into that moment. It’s definitely something I’m proud of. I never would have guessed what a legacy it would have, and I owe it so much. No one has ever been able to create a reveal in quite the same way. They certainly try every year. Thank you for saying that. What do you want people to take away from “Travesty”? I want people to share my awe for the art of drag and see how many different sides of it there can be. I have a great love and respect for the history. We still have a long way to go, but there is an acceptance and understanding of queer and trans life that is really new. We owe that to the generations who came before, and I always want to pay tribute through my art to those queens and kings. I try to bring them to life in my own way through this show. I also want people to make art, be over the top, wear five wigs, close the bar and take some risks in life. So much passion and so many ideas went into this production. I got so much joy from creating it. I always want to tell everyone to make things. It’s such a good way to survive. One final and extremely important question: If we were to create a Sasha Velour museum, which three pieces must be included? I think my outfit from “So Emotional” would go in there. It has this crazy fabric that we hand-sewed and glued fringe onto. It’s gorgeous and historic, but nothing too gaudy. There would also be a video playing every NightGowns performance we have ever filmed, so people could hang out in the museum all day watching the best drag. For the third piece, I’m going to say I haven’t made it yet. I’m not ready for my gallery show just yet. Ensemble Arts presents “Sasha Velour: Travesty” at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 17 at the Miller Theater, 250 S. Broad St. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit ensembleartsphilly.org.