I’ve always wondered if somebody gave such performances, but had never heard of them before I read this. It makes my equality-driven heart happy.
The First Reality Competition Series for Drag Kings Is Officially Seeking Audition Tapes
Comedian and drag king Murray Hill will host King of Drag, the first-of-its-kind series.
By Mathew Rodriguez December 17, 2024
Finally, some news that’s not a drag.
Somebody Somewhere actor and veteran comedian Murray Hill is set to host a drag king reality competition series, The King of Drag, which will air on the LGBTQ+ streaming service Revry this spring, Variety reports. Tucked into Variety’s announcement was the application to be on the show, for which the deadline is January 5.
The King of Drag bills itself as the first drag king competition series. Kings looking to earn a spot on the show’s inaugural cast will have to submit a wealth of material, all of which is outlined on the audition site. Potential cast must submit five photos of their top drag looks, videos of themselves in and out of drag, and a reel of previous drag performances. Finally, auditioning kings are asked to submit a resume of their performance work in drag and film themselves lip-syncing to a song or medley that shows off their “drag essence.”
King of Drag, according to the audition site, “will expansively represent drag while promoting inclusion, authentic self-expression, and diverse gender identities including trans masc, cisgender women, non-binary and more.”
Aside from the audition materials, kings who want to compete on the series must also answer a slate of questions that probe deeper into their drag personae, personal views, and craft, including whether they design their own costumes, how comfortable they would feel being open about themselves on national television, who they count among their entertainer inspirations, and — very practically — how long it takes them to get in drag.
Series host Hill just wrapped up his work on Somebody Somewhere, the acclaimed — and extremely queer — HBO series about friends as family. The six-episode series is looking to cast eight kings.
“I’m so excited to be working with Revry as the host of ‘King of Drag,’” Hill told Variety.” “I started performing in 1995, so it’s long overdue for the kings to take center stage. This vibrant community deserves to be in the spotlight, and I’ll be their biggest hype man.”
According to a press release from Revry, the show will incorporate challenges that are unlike other drag competition shows, including an emphasis on comedy, unconventional performances, and “timely commentary on masculinity. “
Drag kings have long fought for the same kind of cultural recognition that their queen counterparts enjoy; in today’s media landscape that does include time on a reality competition series. While the behemoth of the format — RuPaul’s Drag Race and its spin-offs — has started to incorporate a more diverse set of queens, including trans queens and cis female queens such as Victoria Scone and Maddy Morphosis, the show has always emphasized a feminine drag aesthetic. Other shows, such as The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula have welcomed drag kings, with Landon Cider triumphing in the show’s third season.
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