BenDeLaCreme and Jinkx Monsoon are spreading the Christmas queer this year with a camp holiday special.
The drag legends have ruled over Christmas these past two years with their acclaimed stage productions, To Jesus, Thanks for Everything and All I Want for Christmas Is Attention, but due to COVID concerns, they’re bringing their annual dose of festive magic to our living rooms with The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Special.
Directed, co-written and executive produced by DeLa under her production company, BenDeLaCreme Presents, the 60-minute musical special – which was filmed safely under CDC guidelines – follows the two queens as they come into conflict over how to create a classic Christmas variety show.
Jinkx’s character wants to celebrate with a boozy holiday bash while DeLa opts for a more traditional Christmas. Assisted by a chorus of dancers, DeLa’s deceased grandmother and “a mysterious naked man with a surprising holiday secret,” the two battle for control over the show.
The press release calls the special a “campy, side-splitting romp” that is “equal parts sacrilegious and sweet, with a sharp tongue and a heart of gold,” adding: “The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Special is sure to be a new holiday tradition for all the lost toys who know that the best traditions are the ones we create ourselves.”
In a statement, DeLa said: “If there’s anybody who knows how to adapt with the times and create art while facing adversity, it’s drag queens. I have been producing and directing theater for myself and other queer artists for years, and getting to make my first foray into producing and directing film for ‘The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Special’ has been an experience I will never forget.”
On filming during quarantine, DeLa added: “Our cast and crew, along with our amazing COVID supervisor, made sure we all kept each other safe by wearing masks, maintaining distance, and getting tested regularly while we quarantined together for 3 weeks.
“I moved to L.A. at the start of the pandemic with my partner Gus – who’s also a key producer on the project – so getting to come back to Seattle and reunite with my queer creative family was so needed. I couldn’t have accomplished this without having the love and passion for drag as our foundation.”
For more information on The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Special, visit jinkxanddela.com.
Related: Jinkx and DeLa’s new podcast proves how drag “flourishes under adverse circumstances”.
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