Well hello there Anita Procedure! Talk about a blast from the past! How are you my dear?
I’m wonderful! Lovely to chat with you. So excited to finally be crash-landing on your coast!
I know I’m excited! The last time you made your way to the Big Apple, there was a blizzard of Biblical proportions and I couldn’t get to see you but the weather forecast looks pretty snow-free for the next few weeks so, fingers crossed!
True- that was a wild experience!
As a Californian, was that your first experience with snow?
I grew up not far from Lake Tahoe, so I’ve experienced snow, but I had never experienced a blizzard! I have to say the city was gorgeous after being freshly dusted… but the following days were hellish trudging through gray slush.
Photo by Alyssa Cranmer
Precisely! Snow is pretty for a few hours at most and then its just awful to have around. Kind of like some drag queens I know.
And like most twinks!
Ain’t that the truth? So let’s get right to the reason you’re coming to New York. Someone has her first ever show at the world famous Laurie Beechman Theatre! How did this show come about honey? (Get your tickets to Anita Procedure: Adult Performer here!)
Yes! Well, the lovely Miss Jackie Cox came to my show here in LA, and we instantly bonded. She put in a good word for me with some people at the Beechman. Apparently they had a show fall through and had an opening in mid August, so after getting Jackie’s blessing, they asked if I’d come!
Did you already have a cabaret ready to roll or did you put something together on the fly?
A little bit of both- the concept sort of existed in my mind, and we’ve filled it in with some numbers that were ready to go, and a lot of new stuff too.
Can you give us a little teaser about what to expect from Anita Procedure: Adult Performer?
It’s roughly a “life-story” show, I’m unpacking my experiences as a performer (in many different avenues) through stories and songs. Expect some musical theater classics, some pop songs, original song parodies, and more.
Since this is at least loosely based on your life story, how about we hop in the Delorean and head back in time a bit? Where does your story begin?
My story, as a performer at least, begins with playing dress-up as a little kid in conservative Northern California.
Photo by Brett Saari
What was your first exposure to drag?
I don’t remember an exact moment to be honest! I think I just impulsively was always curious about wearing “girl” clothes, and I just did it naturally.
How did your family react to that?
My mom and sister encouraged it. They were the ones to put lipstick on me and dress me up, so truly they’re to blame. My dad did not approve. He’s very traditional, and he didn’t quite know how to deal with it. But my flamboyance couldn’t be contained, so he was kinda forced to just go along with it.
You’re flamboyant? I had NO idea!
You should have seen 4 year-old Jonathan…
I feel like I could get raided by “To Catch a Predator” if I respond to that so let’s just move on, shall we? You’re a live singing queen, with an amazing voice mind you, which is not uncommon here in the city with all the musical theatre majors that end up in dresses but it seems a little less common out there in Los Angeles. How do you feel you fit in with the scene out there?
Thank you! Yes- there aren’t too many live-singing queens here in LA, but I think more and more are coming out of the woodwork! I hope that some of my shows have helped to encourage more queens to sing. I’ve found that live-singing isn’t always ideal for the nightclub scene, so I’ve started to shift my attention to more cabaret-style venues, like the piano bar Tramp Stamp Granny’s where I do a live-music variety show.
You first came to the attention of the WERRRK.com Universe when you entered the online drag pageant that we hosted in our first year and proceeded to wow us week after week (Like she did here)! What made you decide to enter our initial foray into pageantry?
Yes, it seems like an eternity ago! I was living in Sacramento at the time, and was doing drag pretty sporadically. When I heard about it, I thought it would be an exciting opportunity to do more drag and challenge myself. I also worked on it side-by-side with one of my best friends, Miss Luna Nova, which was a lot of fun.
I don’t know her. (Editor’s note: The interviewer is lying.)
Sometimes I wish I didn’t… but she knows too much already.
As I said before, you have this wonderful sultry voice that would have fit in amazingly in days gone by. Did you go to school for singing?
I appreciate that! I didn’t go to school, I’ve just done theatre pretty much my whole life. With most things I do, I just dive right in and learn by doing.
When did you realize you were interested in making drag more than just a little hobby for you?
I started performing in clubs as soon as I turned eighteen, and at that time I was just trying it. It wasn’t until later that I started to realize it could be a viable career. Then when I moved to Los Angeles, it wasn’t necessarily my plan to do drag full time, but it took off, and I’ve just gone with it!
Photo by Alyssa Cranmer
Seems like you’ve made the right choice as you’ve become a drag star on the west coast and you’ve gathered a bit of a following with the Reddit sleuths who are trying to figure out who will be on upcoming seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race too.
Thank you! As long as I can pay my bills by performing full-time, I’d say I’m pretty damn lucky. Yeah, I was grateful for the exposure! Thanks Reddit.
Is Drag Race something you aspire to in the future? What other goals do you have in your proverbial drag bucket list?
I go back and forth. I’ve auditioned in the past when I wasn’t really ready. If I did audition again, I would want to go in guns blazing. I think to be successful on the show you have to know exactly who you are and be a fully-realized entertainer. At twenty three I don’t know if I’m totally ready. I think I could benefit from a little more time pounding the pavement. A huge goal is to be on Broadway. To tour the country and the world some day. Maybe make an album. I have all kinds of goals!
Well before you start crossing off all those goals, are you game for…..THE LIGHTNING ROUND?
Oh shit! Let’s do it!
Language missy!
Good golly. Pardon me. Shall we?
Must Have makeup item?
Ben Nye Super White Powder. Because I’m super white.
4 AM post show food craving?
Jack in the Box. Two tacos and a Jumbo Jack.
The best part of drag?
The positive effect it has on people
The worst part of drag?
Everything elseI kid of course-The discomfort and pain that comes with a long night in full fantasy.
Most surprising thing about you that people might not know?
I’m not a virgin.
Queen you would pay to see?
Coco Peru
Guilty Pleasure?
That’s tough because I’m generally a pretty shameless person… I’d say fast food.
Last movie to make you cry?
The Mr. Roger’s documentary! It really got me.
Death Row last meal?
Dare I mention fast food for the third time in this interview? Jack in the Box Munchie Meal. Sue me.
Netflix Binge recommendation?
Can I do Hulu instead?? Harlots! Fabulous costumes and drama
Disney character you relate to the most?
Jessica Rabbit
Final question, most embarrassing song on your phone?
Any instrumental track with my pre recorded backup vocals on it
So extra!
Truly.
Well I think you survived the Lightning Round pretty handily but you might want to look into some good Spanx once your metabolism changes with all that Jack in the Box.
I hope readers know that I actually do appreciate good food, I’m just poor.
Oh honey, you’re a drag queen. They know you’re poor.
But rich in glamour.
Photo by Alyssa Cranmer
So in the meantime, they can help you pay your bills by coming to see you! Where can people find you?
Great question! Catch me every Tuesday at Revolver in West Hollywood for karaoke. And this Thursday I’ll be presenting a preview of Adult Performer at Tramp Stamp Granny’s in Hollywood! Then of course my show in NYC will be the 16th and 17th, at 7 pm at the Laurie Beechman theater (Again, get your tickets here)! Plus this Sunday morning I’ll be joining Gloria Swansong for brunch at Fresco’s Cantina in Astoria! Plus follow @anitaprocedure on Instagram and like Anita Procedure on Facebook!
Well my dear, I think we have just about reached the end of the road here. I’m very excited to see your show at the Beechman and I know I speak for all of us here at WERRRK.com when I say we’re very proud of everything you’ve accomplished in your career so far. So before I let you run off for more tacos, do you have any final words of wisdom for the WERRRK.com Universe?
Thank you so much! The wisest piece of advice I can give you is to come see my show, and get a full panel STI test 2-3 weeks after you see it! Xoxo Anita
