“ RuPaul’s Drag Race ” contestant Alexis Michelle kicked off Pride month in the “gayest” way possible, teaming up with Broadway’s Andrew Keenan-Bolger for a spirited take on “Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again.”
The tune is a perfect pick for Pride, of course, given its history. In 1963, Judy Garland and a 21-year-old Barbra Streisand performed the duet on “The Judy Garland Show,” and it remains a staple of queer playlists 54 years later.
Michelle, 32, will return to New York nightspot Feinstein’s/54 Below June 13 for a special Pride installment of “It Takes A Woman... An Evening with Alexis Michelle.” The show, which features musical direction by Brandon James Gwinn, sees the drag queen tackling songs from Broadway musicals such as “Cabaret,” “Hello, Dolly!” and “La Cage aux Folles,” as well as hits by Streisand and Lady Gaga.
“I fell in love with theater when I was 5 years old,” Michelle, whose real name is Alex Michaels, told HuffPost in May. “The best I can do – as a gay man, a queer performer and a drag queen – is live my life honestly, openly and authentically, and let that authenticity be reflected in my performances. I really do believe that if we all live authentically, that behavior in and of itself has the power to change the world.”
Alexis Michelle stars in “It Takes A Woman… An Evening with Alexis Michelle” at Feinstein’s/54 Below in New York on June 13. Head here for details.
