This musical theater performer and gymnast hits all the right beats as one of NYC’s newest drag stars, courtesy of some memorable moments at Lady Liberty this season: three cheers for Marcia Marcia Marcia!
Thotyssey: Hello Marcia, thanks for chatting with us today! How is September treating you?
Marcia Marcia Marcia: It’s pretty good so far! Fall is a super inspiring time for me, so feeling the season start to change is getting me excited!
It must also be said that it’s the perfect drag weather.
Haha, absolutely!
You’re a rising star in the drag world.
Thank you so much for saying that! I put a lot of time, effort, and love into Marcia… so it feels great to hear people enjoy her!
How long have you been at it now?
Aside from a couple brief stints in college, I really dove into creating Marcia in the summer of 2020!
She’s already come a long way! Before we get more into her story, let’s go back to your own beginning. Where’s your home town, and were you always a performer of some sort while growing up?
I’m from Northport, Long Island, and I was a gymnast growing up… which is kind of like performing, I guess–executing rehearsed routines for large crowds. Like most queens, I found theater in high school, and that hobby seemed safer than flipping through the air. I had always loved movie musicals growing up; I’m shocked it took me so long to get into it, honestly!
What have been some of your favorite musicals that you’ve taken part in?
The best job I’ve ever had (and likely ever will have, I think) was the national tour of Hello, Dolly! with Carolee Carmello. It was one of my favorite movies as a kid, and when the revival was announced I was hell-bent on being in it. It was a dream come true, and it’s what I was doing when the world shut down. I was also a vacation swing for the Broadway company of Kinky Boots, which was also really cool and challenging.
What are your predictions on what the state of Broadway will be, as things start to reopen? Will everything just kind of pick up right where it left off?
I feel a little apprehensive about it all; it feels a bit like we’re taking the cast off too soon after the break. But due to our living in a capitalist society, I don’t think that matters much to the people in charge. Meaning, things probably will go back to normal… regardless of the heightened risk.
Any new shows you’re looking forward to seeing… or at least lip syncing to in your own shows?
Not that I can think of at the moment! Because theater was a pretty big portion of my life before I started drag, I usually like to keep the two separate; [in drag] I like to focus more on theatrical interpretations of pop songs. I’m not sure if Marcia is a theater kid!
So, how did Marcia get born?
Well, I’ve always loved Drag Race, of course. It’s brilliant television, and a very digestible way to introduce people to what drag is… and what it can be. I’ve always gravitated to anything creative, and I found in theater–while it was fun, and great exercise–I was feeling creatively limited. I wanted to be a part of the creative process, and you don’t really get the opportunity to do that [in theater]. With drag, you get creative control of every single aspect… and I love being the boss!
I styled hair for a couple shows in college and always had an eye for fashion, I’m a dancer first, and I have a long history of lip-syncing in my bathroom mirror… so I kind of just put it of these skills together, and Marcia was born!
Of course “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!” is Jan Brady’s famous lament when her big sis got all the attention! Is that basically the effect your Marcia has on all the other hos in the room?
That was part of it! Marcia Brady is the 60’s/70’s queen bee–the Cher Horowitz of her time, if you will. The favorite child, charismatic, athletic, fashionable, talented, smart–while still having her moments of sass and stupidity. My sense of humor veers pretty far from anything sexual or raunchy, so I always envision my drag persona as a younger person, or a high school student. A lot of my favorite fashion references come from Brady-era American fashion, so it felt fitting.
You won a lot of fans during your performances in the Lady Liberty competition, which saw you as a finalist in two prelim rounds. You gave us splits, fashion and props! What was that whole Lady Liberty experience like for you?
It was very, very cool. I’d heard so much about it in the past, and when [show producer] Vincent Cooper reached out asking if I wanted to do it, I couldn’t say no. I met so many new queens, got to perform at The Q for the first time, and got to show Marcia to a new audience. It wasn’t so much about winning, but showing what I had to offer… which I think I did very, very well.
No doubt about that! This weekend, you’ll be rejoining another fierce Lady Liberty alum, Mariyea, for Thotyssey’s “Sunday Best” showcase at XOXO Bar! That should be super fun!
Yes! I’m so excited about Sunday. Mariyea and I have been chatting about it. It’s been so incredible to see all of these new, queer spaces opening up after losing so many to the pandemic. The last few months have felt like a celebratory time for the queer community, and I’m proud to bring the celebration into the fall!
Anything else to mention?
Not really! Just that I’m very available! So if you’re looking for a gorgeous, hilarious dancing queen who makes all her own looks, book a bitch.
Universe, hear this! Okay, very important final question: Dawn of Chromatica! Yay, Meh, Nope, or Huh?
I listened to it through once… and it was a hard pass for me, unfortunately. Gaga is such a gifted musician, and I love that original album. So I think the remixes were messing with something that was already really great.
The ker-plunk heard round the world! Thanks, Marcia!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for Marcia Marcia Marcia’s upcoming appearances, and follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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