Drag, campy melodrama, and 'Die Mommie Die!'

A new production of Charles Busch’s 2003 dark comedy "Die Mommie Die!" from Compulsion Dance and Theatre opened over the weekend and there will be three more performances

Psycho-biddy, hagsploitation, Grande Dame Guignol — not exactly politically correct terms but they did describe a sub-genre of horror thrillers in the 1960s and 1970s where aging stars like Joan Crawford, Tallulah Bankhead, and Bette Davis chewed scenery with ravenous gusto.

Compulsion Dance Theatre director Michael Mizerany suggested the cast of his production of "Die Mommie Die!" watch the 1964 film "Dead Ringer," starring Bette Davis as twin sisters.

It was precisely films like this that playwright Charles Busch drew on for his campy melodrama "Die Mommie Die!"

Joey Kirkpatrick plays aging star Angela Arden in this new production directed by Mizerany.

Michael Mizerany

"I think there's something special about the role being a drag role because a lot of these psycho biddies and these old B-horror films are very special to the queer community, and as is drag," Kirkpatrick said. "I think that a lot of these older films spoke to the queer community a lot, partially because it had strong female leads that were stepping outside of the box of what society expects of women being really strong characters who know what they want, even if it's murder."

Murder, deceit, betrayal, ambition, twins, and plot twists! "Die Mommie Die!" has it all, and Kirkpatrick gives it his all.

"It is very self-aware, and we know how ridiculous it is," Kirkpatrick added. "Just playing into that and almost making fun of yourself or your character is just different than a lot of other shows that I've been in. The audience is in on the joke, and just the whole room gets it, and it's just really fun."

It may be ridiculous fun but at its core it’s also about rebellion and challenging stereotypes.

"Drag in general is a form of protest," Kirkpatrick said. "Especially with gender as a performance. We're expected to be put into a box of male or female, even though gender is just this entire spectrum. I think it was definitely somewhat of a form of protest and a way to to just show the different ways that the queer community can express themselves and portray a character that really does have stakes and emotions, but can also have fun and be crazy."

This guest production from Compulsion Dance and Theatre of "Die Mommie Die!" at Diversionary’s Black Box Theatre has one final weekend of over the top performances.