A Terrified Michelle Visage Chats Drag Past, Present And Future Ahead Of 'Musicals' Night

Tonight, performer and RuPauls Drag Race judge, Michelle Visage, will get to step on stage, start her engine and, well, not f*ck it up. Something tells me that shell do great. The TV/radio host and self-professed drag queen will join a very special evening of 24 Hour Musicals at the United Artists Theater in Los Angeles. Last week, I had a chance to chat with the star about this, spill the tea about the most recent season of RuPauls Drag Race, and more.

In The 24 Hour Musicals, a team of over 100 performers, including artists from Broadway, film, television and music, come together to write, compose, rehearse and perform four original musicals within a 24 hour time span. The 22-year long tradition has brought together extraordinary artists many times to create unique theater around the world, raising millions of dollars for charity.

Visage will be joined by fellow stars, Jamie-Lynn Sigler (The Sopranos), Wayne Brady (Kinky Boots, Whose Line Is It Anyway?), Jesse Eisenberg (The Spoils), Retta (Girlfriends Guide to Divorce), and Isabelle Fuhrman (Master of Sex).

Jackson Gay (Atlantic Theater Company) will serve as director for one of the musicals, and Tyce Diorio (So You Think You Can Dance) as a choreographer. The 24 Hour Musicals will be held at The United Artists Theater beginning at 8p.m.

Steve: It was exciting to hear that youre participating in The 24 Hour Musicals. How did you get involved?

Michelle: My agent asked me if I wanted to do it and I said, Absolutely, are you kidding me!? It scares me to death that means I have to do it. Then when I saw that Wayne Brady was going to be there, Shoshana Bean, Alicia Witt, [and more], it got me even more excited. So, its terror! Im completely terrified by the idea.

Steve: Why are you so scared?

Michelle: Well, because, youre walking in as an actor, as a theater kid, youre used to preparing and over preparing. But, youre walking into this not knowing anything and just singing for people who dont know you or what you do or your range and then they write a part for you and you perform it the next night. If thats not frightening, I dont know what is.

Steve: Well, as a judge on Drag Race, youre no stranger to watching the creative process in a very compact period of time.What do you think of such a condensed approach to creativity?

Michelle: I love creating. I love being with creative people who can think quickly on their feet. Im an improv girl, so for me having that [in] me is going to help. So, the idea of it is great, but its also scary.

Steve: Youre a very vocal supporter of TodayTix, the ticketing app and sponsor of The 24 Hour Musicals, which is offering $99 tickets to the show. Why do you love the app so much?

Michelle: I went to New York City I wanted to see John Cameron Mitchell in Hedwig [and the Angry Inch]... I had seen [TodayTix] advertised somewhere and downloaded it on a whim. I thought I was never gonna use it and I thought You know what? I want to go see John. My time is limited, I have one night. It was a storm outside, a snow storm. So we got tickets It was so easy and so amazing. I told Ru[Paul] and Ru downloaded it and we both became obsessed. Its a legit love affair. I didnt get paid I just fell in love with it.

Steve: Well, time to chat about something very important this past season of Drag Race! What do you think that the move from Logo to VH1 says about the mainstream cultural recognition the show has received?

Michelle: I think its important. I think its necessary. I think there are lives being saved because of RuPauls Drag Race. And that sounds dramatic but I can say that for me, [when I was a kid], being made fun of and being picked on and feeling alone and like a loser... If I had a show like RuPauls Drag Race, maybe I wouldnt have had some of the thoughts that I had. Or had the issues that I had. Whatever the situation is, maybe I wouldnt have had all that if I had a show like RuPauls Drag Race. At the end of the day its never going to be completely mainstream. Ever. Drag is never going to be completely mainstream because its still a queer art form. Its still a queer television show. Thats who we are at the core of our show. So, nobody is going to ever have to worry about us selling out or leaving the queer base because thats who we are.

Thats why its such a big deal that we got 8 Emmy nominations, because this is a show about gender non-conformance, about queer performers, about gay people. And weve finally been recognized in a big way. Having more of a mainstream platform is important to these children who need to know that their lives matter.

Steve: You mentioned art form. Season winner Sasha Velour has a very unique, artistic approach to drag. What do you think of her aesthetic?

Michelle: I think its amazing. I think weve seen every type of drag come across the stage of RuPauls Drag Race and there is no end in sight of what can be on the stage. I think that any four of those finalists... this is the first season that I can say that I would be finenot only fine but happywith any one of those four girls being the winner. But, I am super happy it was Sasha because she was consistent, though sometimes quiet, but she was consistent and focused through the whole competition.

Steve: Id love your thought on the fact that among the shows winners theres Sasha Velour, Raja, Violet Chachki and Sharon Needles. They in particular have a very modern take on drag and drag aesthetic. What do you think about that and the various forms of drag and where drag may be evolving?

Michelle: I think it has evolved in a sense of having tentacles and reaching out in branches. I think it will always be what it is at the core rebellious and poking fun at society and giving hetero-normative bullshit the middle finger. So I dont think you can just say that this is the future of drag, because drag is drag [even if] all the kids think they are doing the future of drag. Its always been there. There were always club kids. There were always camp queens. There were always glamour queens. These things always existed. Whats old is new again. Nobody can claim anything, but I think the fact that its getting recognized for the art form that it genuinely is, is a beautiful thing and there are no limitations.

Steve: Your wisdom comes across so much on Drag Race. What do you think you have learned since you first became a star in [the girl group] Seduction?

Michelle: Life. Life is the greatest teacher. When I was 17, I knew everything. You couldnt tell me shit. I knew everything. I was never wrong, but I learned as I went on in life that not only is it okay to be wrong you learn the biggest and most important thing in life is learning from failure and learning from things that you do wrong. You have to be open to that. For me its all about living and being open and aware of whats going on. Im a learner and Im a freaking hustler. Ive learned a lot since my days in Seduction but I hustled to get myself into Seduction and its about using the wisdom that you achieve and helping it better you.

Steve: Youve succeeded in music, radio, podcasting, on TV, and that list just goes on and on. Looking ahead, whats next for Michelle Visage? What do you want to accomplish?

Michelle: Accomplish, and whats next, are two different things because you never know whats next. Im not one of those people who is going to say Oh Ive got this coming, that coming. To me, whats next is focusing on theater and focusing on film and television. Ive loved doing 17 years in morning radio and Ive loved being a singer and performing in a girl group, but for me its now about now showing the worldas an actor and a performerwhat I can do and what Im made of. A lot of these young kids are just finding out that Michelle Visage is a singer and that my degree is in musical theater. This is what I do, so Broadway and West End are the immediate focus and other television and film opportunities. Thats why Im [doing] The 24 Hour Musicals. I cannot wait to raise money and show everybody what Im made of.

Steve Schonberg is the editor-in-chief of Center on the Aisle and can be seen regularly on NBCs Weekend Today in New York.