On the cool spring night of April 18th, I had the pleasure of seeing and experiencing SCCC’s production of Stephan Elliot and Allan Scott’s “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” at Ammerman’s Shea Theater. A jukebox musical following three drag performers on a journey across the Australian desert, the theater had an impressive turnout, but not as impressive as the show itself. “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” is a perfect mix of the best of our college’s stagecraft and performances, set to a soundtrack of fun and familiar songs, including iconic gay anthems like “It’s Raining Men” and “I Will Survive” among many other classic hits. Afterward, I got special insight on the making of the production from director Mary Seymour and star Thomas McGuire, diving deeper into how the cast and crew brought the show to life, and what “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” means to them.
“We went into a meeting to discuss what was needed at this moment in time, in terms of the general atmosphere, and we felt it was important to make a statement about the reality of life and our diversities, our differences, and yet the interconnectedness of us all. As a director, this piece represents the entirety of just being spirits on this planet, and acceptance and love, and that we’re so different, but yet we’re all the same,” said Seymour.
“Priscilla” is directed immaculately by SCCC adjunct professor and alumni Mary Seymour, a passionate entertainer and artist with a prestigious 45-year career in entertainment. In addition to being president of Dish-A-Tunes Music Publishing, Seymour’s credits include performing in the original Broadway production of “HAIR,” and performing as a founding member of the award-winning dance music group, Musique. Now, she finds herself in the director’s chair, with nothing but praise for her cast and crew of this incredible production, who she has brought the best out of to create something truly spectacular.
The show is centered by the three perfectly synergized performances of Will Begley, Joseph Salerno, and Thomas McGuire as the drag queens Tick, Adam, and Bernadette respectively. The three share great chemistry, working well off of each other, and all three succeed in delivering performances that feel honest and genuine.
“I wanted it not to be acted.” Seymour said. “I didn’t want it to be three guys putting on lipstick in a costume. I wanted you to see the humanness of each individual and what they were about, and respect that. We rehearsed different ways of how they could relate on stage. For example, Tick, who is the father, was the balance between the other two, the balance between Bernadette and Adam. He was the balance. Bernadette is the rock. She’s the mature one to hold it all together. And I think once they understood their positions in this story, the actors themselves brought that to life.”
Standing out among the show’s many great performances is that of Thomas McGuire as Bernadette, bringing extraordinary dedication to doing the role and character justice in his performance. After the show, McGuire described the prep work he put into bringing the character to life, research consisting of “A lot of research, a lot of late 3 AM nights of watching drag queens and doing numbers in my pajamas.”
“[Drag is] an art I respected personally from a distance, and one I didn’t know too much about,” McGuire said. “So I really had to sit down and learn about the craft and watch, you know? I watched so many specials on TV that I could find, And I tried to learn everything I could for my friends who are a part of the LGBTQ community, and I wanted to know things that I normally myself wouldn’t know, so there was definitely a bit of pressure to make sure I was doing everything justice but with the amount of learning that went into it, I think I did,” McGuire added.
When asked what he would like audiences to take away from the show, McGuire replied:
“The one thing that has been me and the an and and the other drag queens, our main focus has been showing the journey that each of our characters takes to find acceptance within the LGBTQ community that is a journey that most people take. So to be able to show that we can take that journey and we can succeed and we can find that acceptance, I want people to leave this feeling inspired, knowing that they can make the journey too.”
The show is tied together by a stellar supporting and ensemble cast who carry the show’s many musical numbers, and remarkable stagecraft and set design, featuring a bus set piece built entirely from scratch, and creative uses of LED lights to bring it and the stage to life. “Priscilla” impresses in every way a stage production can. “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” looks beautiful, sounds fantastic, and the performances feel deeply human and sincere, even at the height of their campiness.
Suffolk’s theatre department has created something truly special in “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.” Funny, heartfelt, and inspiring, the story and the way the cast and crew bring it to life connects in a way that feels deeply emotionally resonant and relatable. A feel-good road trip with catchy tunes and an infectious exuberant energy. “Priscilla” is a standout among the productions put on at the Shea Theater that made for an excellent night of musical theatre to cap off the semester.
