A Minnesota drag queen s gambit: Best things to watch this week Our weekly picks to lift your spirits and expand your pandemic playlist.
By Star Tribune staff Text size Copy shortlink: RuPaul s Drag Race
Minnesotans have always fared well on this Emmy-winning series, starting with BeBe Zahara Benet, who was the very first champ. The 13th season has a local favorite again Utica Queen, whose stage name is a nod to her hometown, Utica, Minn., pop. 291. The performer s group wasn t featured last week, which means Utica should get plenty of screen time in this weekend s episode. 7 p.m. Fridays, VH1
RuPaul Drag Race contestant flaunts her Minnesota roots January 12, 2021 8:51am Text size Copy shortlink:
One of this season s competitors on RuPaul s Drag Race hails from Minnesota and wants the whole world to know it. Ethan Mundt, 25, performs under the stage name Utica Queen, a nod to growing up in Utica, Minn.
In her introduction video, Utica calls her home a beautiful little farm town, and that she ll bring her upbringing to the contest, even if it means channeling the image of being covered in manure.
Utica didn t go quite that far in the 13th-season premiere earlier this month, which may explain why she was almost the first to go.
ARTS
Alice in Californiland
AXIS dance revises their performance of the magical strange dance-tale of a young girl s journey. https://www.axisdance.org/
Broadway on AirBnB
Promotional-sponsored performances by a variety of talents: Tittus Burgess, cast members from
Moulin Rouge, Mrs. Doubtfire, and more, plus dance, yoga, tarot and circus classes. $10-$50. www.airbnb.com
Broadway Performers
For Broadway fans, Tony-winning performers perform new concerts, and classic shows are streamed as well. https://www.broadwayworld.com/
Different Stars
Musical show with a current theme: How do these emotions collide during time spent alone in quarantine? When James opens a box of artifacts from his first breakup, after months of self-isolation during COVID-19, he reckons with memories that haunt him of a first queer love gone awry; starring James Jackson, Jr., Victoria Huston-Elem, Danielle Buonaiuto, and Karl Saint Lucy. https://www.differentstars.live/
Trinity the Tuck gags Drag Race stars with tribute to Sasha Velour
Trinity the Tuck’s tribute to her Drag Race season nine sister Sasha Velour is absolutely
jaw-dropping.
In celebration of season 12, the All Stars 4 winner has been reinventing runways from past Drag Race winners such as Bebe Zahara Benet, Tyra Sanchez, Raja, Sharon Needles, Jinkx Monsoon, Bianca Del Rio, Violet Chachki and Bob the Drag Queen.
This week, Trinity paid homage to Sasha Velour with a sickening take on the star’s iconic rose petal extravaganza in the season nine finale, when she memorably lip-synced against Shea Coulee to Whitney Houston’s pop classic, So Emotional.
Los Angeles City Hall is bathed in red light for the 2015 New Year s Eve celebration at Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles. (ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)
Don t let the door hit you on the way out, 2020. Ring in 2021 with online parties and countdowns hosted by Snoop Dogg and queens from RuPaul s Drag Race. Attend Grand Park s virtual New Year s Eve fest. Laugh away this year at your pick of comedy shows. Watch online sets from Pink Martini, birthday girl Patti Smith and the Dandy Warhols. Watch the ball drop in NYC all by its lonesome self.
From all of us at LAist, have a safe, socially distant New Year s Eve, and cheers to a better 2021!