RuPaul’s Drag Race Recap: On Weaponizing BFAs

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How much does formal musical theater training actually help contestants on RuPaul’s Drag Race? It’s a surprisingly complex question. For a while, especially during seasons 10 through 12 when the show was incredibly popular and consistently winning awards, it seemed like a strong theater background could actually hurt a queen’s chances. Contestants like Alexis Michelle, Jan, Rosé, Denali, Marcia Marcia Marcia, Loosey LaDuca, Plasma, and Suzie Toot all came to the show highly skilled and polished performers. While they often did well, they struggled to truly connect with RuPaul and the judges. They frequently received praise for their specific performances, but not for their overall drag persona, which kept them from fully breaking through.

The winners of recent seasons – Symone, Willow Pill, and Sasha Colby – were all captivating performers, immediately charming RuPaul despite their different styles. Some queens, particularly those with formal theater training, came across as overly calculated. There was a feeling they hadn’t embraced drag organically, but rather saw it as a platform to leverage their performance skills for career advancement. This idea was famously captured in a tweet about Rosé and Denali, suggesting they’d turned to drag as a last resort to achieve fame. While controversial, the tweet highlighted a concern RuPaul shared: some queens seemed to view drag as a means to an end, rather than a genuine passion. RuPaul believes drag is for those who don’t quite fit in, and she’s always championed queens who are authentic, even if a little rough around the edges. So, when queens rely heavily on professional training, it feels like a rejection of that core spirit of inclusivity and self-expression that RuPaul cherishes.

It’s notable that the increasing popularity of queens winning RuPaul’s Drag Race coincided with the evolution of the Rusical challenges. What started as a one-off activity in season six has become a highly polished and memorable part of the show. Rusicals like the Kardashian Rusical (season nine), the Madonna Rusical (season twelve), Moulin Ru! (season fourteen), and Wigloose (season fifteen) significantly raised the bar with elaborate choreography and powerful vocals. These performances have moved away from simply referencing pop music, instead drawing inspiration from classic musical theater. Recent examples include references to The Sound of Music, Wicked, The Wiz, and A Chorus Line, and this season features both Annie and a new ballroom adaptation of Cats (which I wrote about earlier this week).

It’s interesting that two queens, Myki Meeks and Jane Don’t, both used a similar approach this week. Both are trained in musical theater, and they presented themselves as outsiders within that world. They admitted their performance skills came from years of training, but also explained that their passion for drag stemmed from wanting to escape the constraints of musical theater. I think they’re right to feel that way! While musical theater is largely a gay space, it hasn’t always been welcoming to performers who fully express their queerness. It’s only recently, thanks in part to shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race (especially Jinkx Monsoon!), that drag has gained respect within that community. If you look back at productions like Kinky Boots in 2013, it’s clear that musical theater wasn’t really interested in authentically collaborating with drag queens at that time.

Rather than gushing about how much they love musical theater, Jane and Myki shared stories about how their passion for it faded. This creates a compelling new storyline: they might rediscover their love for performing through drag. I think that’s a really positive development. Both of these queens have the potential to perform in professional musical theater productions – whether on Off-Broadway stages, on tour, or in regional theaters – and that would be great for the show. It feels like a win-win for both Drag Race and musical theater, allowing talented queens to showcase their skills without Drag Race compromising its artistic integrity.

Okay, that’s enough on MT. Let’s run through the rest of the episode.

The episode begins with the girls grieving for Mia and Juicy, and we learn that RuPaul’s criticism about a lack of self-awareness really resonated with one of them. She recently battled drug addiction, and Athena was a key source of support during her recovery. After that, there’s a silly but enjoyable mini-challenge sponsored by Grindr – and viewers are hoping to see more of these, as the show used to include them even when episodes were shorter. It’s puzzling that they can’t fit them in now with the longer runtime.

Ru announces the challenge: the girls will be starring in “Fannie: The Hard Knock Ball.” Casting goes well overall, but Nini and Myki both want the lead role of Fannie. While Myki is the stronger singer, Nini really wants to be the star. There’s a confusing moment where Myki seems to offer Nini the part, but Nini quickly changes her mind and gives it back. Honestly, Nini’s indecisiveness is frustrating – it’s not the behavior of someone trying to win. Thankfully, Myki ends up with the role and immediately shines in rehearsals, proving she has hidden vocal talent. Jane also performs well. Discord struggles, though, because she’s known for being uncoordinated. Juicy isn’t a strong singer, but she’s a fantastic dancer, and according to Jane, Athena’s singing sounds like Dr. Seuss – but her dancing isn’t up to par.

The runway theme was beige, fitting for a surprisingly monochrome season. Myki’s pleather suit was cute, but the all-beige look, including her hair, made her appear washed out. Darlene’s tweed outfit was a standout – very reminiscent of Thom Browne and easily her best design of the competition. Kenya’s gown was beautiful from the waist up, but the skirt felt a little plain. Juicy’s outfit, which looked inspired by Iris Van Herpen, was gorgeous and elegant. Athena’s wheat-field-inspired look was a bit much, with too many different elements. Her makeup didn’t work with the beige color scheme either – the purple eyeshadow felt out of place. Discord’s sequin dress wasn’t a favorite; it unfortunately resembled mold. Nini’s wig was incredible, and her upcycled executive look was a brilliant idea. Jane’s Mae West-inspired outfit, covered in furs, was absolutely perfect – I had no criticisms at all. I was completely impressed.

Everyone performed adequately in the show. While it wasn’t the most memorable musical I’ve ever seen, it successfully provided each performer with a defined role. However, the songs weren’t particularly catchy.

Myki is fantastic as Fannie. She plays the character without overdoing the typical ‘optimistic Annie’ impression – a little bit is charming, but too much would be tiresome. As the central character, she successfully draws the audience in and makes them want to keep watching. Darlene’s dog is a nice addition, though it could have been used more creatively. A little more energy from the dog would have been fun!

Kenya’s performance was excellent – she really nailed the character work, bringing to mind a glamorous queen from the film Paris Is Burning. While her facial expressions could have been stronger to fully connect with the role, her voice was incredibly powerful. In contrast, Juicy’s recording was unremarkable and overshadowed Kenya’s performance. Juicy needs more guidance to reach the level expected in this show. She’s a fantastic dancer, but still learning how to fully inhabit a character. As for Athena, her portrayal of Warbucks isn’t working. Like Juicy, she struggled with the recording, limiting her to simple rhythms – a pattern we saw in the group numbers and, honestly, during her audition.

Nini and Discord’s characters didn’t really stand out. While I thought the raspy voices suited singers who aren’t traditionally strong, and I appreciate that Discord made it through the performance, they just weren’t very engaging. It wasn’t the song’s fault either, since they selected their own parts.

Jane’s performance as Miss Shenanigans is truly excellent. She’s a strong singer and dancer, and her comedic timing is spot-on. Her portrayal of being tipsy is brilliantly done – you can clearly understand everything she says while still believing she’s inebriated. I was very impressed and think she could easily play Miss Hannigan professionally on stages across the country.

The judges ranked Myki, Jane, and Kenya as the top three, though Kenya was clearly in third place. It was good to see her receive any positive feedback at this stage of the competition. Myki and Jane were both strong contenders, but Jane ultimately won. I’m glad Jane earned her second win, though I might have chosen Myki, who really shined with the most difficult challenge. Athena, Juicy, and Discord were placed in the bottom three, but Discord received surprisingly positive comments. This meant mother and daughter, Athena and Discord, were facing elimination together, earlier than I expected. They lip-synced to “Call Me When You Break Up” by Benny Blanco, Selena Gomez, and Gracie Abrams, but the song didn’t suit them well, and they ended up comforting each other and crying. While they might have been upset regardless, the song likely didn’t help. “Bluest Flame” would have been a much better choice. Ultimately, Juicy was saved, and Athena was eliminated. Despite everything, I’m sad to see her go – the season will be less interesting without her.

And also on Untucked…

The girls receive a chocolate fondue fountain, which they enjoy. Juicy and Athena are both a little upset. Juicy realizes that the others aren’t fully understanding her perspective, and it’s hard to watch. I really want her to be able to navigate this situation because I’m a big fan of hers. It would be amazing if she could learn to better express herself and be understood, and that could really turn things around for her this season.

Benny Blanco served as a guest judge and seemed comfortable in the role. He exhibited a typical reaction – a slight awkwardness when praising someone’s appearance, something many straight men experience. Thankfully, he avoided any potentially uncomfortable questions about personal grooming.

I haven’t connected with a queen this much in a long time – I’m really hoping Myki does well!

The recent U.K. versus the World episode featured an unbelievably good lip sync performance. Serena Morena is definitely a wild card – her creativity is amazing, but a little scary! While Fontana should have stayed in the competition longer, it was nice to finally see Mariah win. Kate probably deserved the win more, though. I predict Zahirah will be eliminated next.

I wanted to get some insights from people in the LGBTQ+ community, so I asked my colleague Jennifer Zhan for her take on the current season. Here’s what she shared:

I disagree with Plane Jane’s claim that this cast lacks talent, but I’m definitely disappointed that no one named Starr is still competing. Usually, by now I’m completely invested in seeing who will win and who the remaining contestants are. However, I haven’t picked a favorite yet, and I was really upset that we didn’t get to see Mia perform in the Rusical. I would have loved to see her compete with Athena for the role of Mama Big Bucks.

Despite some quirks, Athena’s performance was the first on the season to really move me. It was also touching to learn more about her close relationship with Juicy – they truly feel like family, both on and off stage. Honestly, though, did the show’s producers not realize that the story of the abandoned monkey, Punch, would hit a little too close to home for those of us with complicated relationships with our mothers?

It looks like Jane, Nini, and Myki are secure in the top spots. I’m really unsure who will take the fourth position. Juicy has won the most challenges, but her recent performances haven’t been strong. Darlene hasn’t really shined yet, and Kenya would need a lot more high placements to improve her chances. Discord making it would be surprising. Considering all that, I’m leaning towards Darlene potentially having a breakout performance. However, if that happens, the top four would lack a dancer, which would be a bit repetitive.

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2026-02-28 06:56