The Broads of Broadway by Christopher Peterson
August 18 – 27 at Venue #17: The Roxy on Gateway

---

An interview with Christopher Peterson.

Describe your show in one sentence.

Drag legend Christopher Peterson presents some of Hollywood’s greatest icons performing the Broadway songs they never got a chance to sing!

Okay, now that we’re intrigued… what’s the longer description of your show?

The Broads of Broadway is a conceptual show where I have taken my long-running hit show EYECONS – which is a look at the famous ladies of showbiz – and placed them in a show where they get to act and sing in the Broadway shows I think they may have been great in.

In between, I change right in front of the audience aided by my magic closet (35 years out of the closet and I go back in to do this show). While changing I regale the audience with my own personal stories of working in show biz and Off Broadway (way WAY! Off Broadway).

The Broads of Broadway features impersonations of icons such as Marilyn, Cher, Liza, Judy, Bette and Streisand. What is it like to portray such well-known celebrities, and who is your favourite to perform as?

Choosing the ladies for the show is easy… doing songs they never sang a little more difficult. Each performer gives me a challenge both vocally and visually. If I had to pick a favorite – that’s like a mother that has a favorite child, they never admit it – but the audience seems to love the drama of Judy as Mama Rose.

Can you give audiences a preview of the types of Broadway songs they’ll hear in this show? How did you go about choosing the songs to include in the show?

We have Marilyn Monroe in A Chorus Line as Val cooing Tits and Ass (how appropriate); then Bette Midler and Carol Channing in a battle of the Dollies in Hello Dolly; Judy Garland as Mama Rose in Gypsy; daughter Liza playing both as Roxy and Velma in Chicago; and a reading by Bette Davis from the Vagina Monologues (and many more surprises).

Anything else you want audiences to know about the show?

If you’ve seen EYECONS this will be a fun new look at that show, if you never have seen me before, well now’s your chance! It’s not everyday you get to see and hear this many famous actresses – live or dead – on Broadway without the steep ticket price!

The 36th Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival is August 17 – 27. Get your tickets at tickets.fringetheatre.ca .