Read an Excerpt
RuPaul’s Drag Race Live!
4 stars
- Appeal by Age: under 21 = 4.5 stars; 21–37 = 4 stars; 38–50 = 4 stars; 51+ = 3.5 stars
- Host Casino/Showroom: Flamingo/Flamingo Showroom; 855-234-7469; caesars.com/flamingo-las-vegas/shows/rupauls-drag-race-live
- Type of show: Female impersonator competition/production show
- Admission: $49–$203
- Cast size: 12 (5 drag queens, 1 host, 6 dancers)
- Night of lowest attendance: Tuesday
- Usual showtimes: Thursday–Monday, 9:30 p.m.
- Dark: Tuesday and Wednesday
- Topless: No
- Duration of presentation: 85 minutes
Description and Comments
More than a decade after bringing female impersonation out of the LGBTQ club scene and into the TV-driven consciousness of mainstream America, RuPaul’s Drag Race has sped into Las Vegas with a spectacular live production. Indeed, it’s one of the Strip’s only remaining bastions of old-school showgirl glamour.
RuPaul—known to her legions of fans as “Mama Ru”—doesn’t actually appear in person, though she did codirect the production with choreographer Jamal Sims and periodically pops in with dishy commentary via prerecorded video clips. In her stead, a glamazon hostess oversees the evening’s competition, which pits five former contestants from the reality series against each other in a series of contests that will be familiar to fans of the show, including a Mini-Challenge, a Maxi-Challenge, and the requisite Lip Sync for Your Life.
Representing the broad diversity of the art of drag, the cast of competing queens rotates regularly. There’s Derrick Barry (Season 8), the Britney Spears lookalike who dances harder than the real deal; Naomi Smalls (Season 8), the leggy runway model who knows how to strike a pose in addition to serving a top-notch lip sync; and the glamorous Jaida Essence Hall, who won the Season 13 crown by performing in her living room during the pandemic. There are also frequent special guests, such as recent guest emcee Ginger Minj from Season 7 and All Stars.
Between challenges, we see staged skits of “the dolls” engaging in bitchy backstage banter (echoing Untucked, the television show’s behind-the-scenes companion program), along with video clips of iconic Drag Race staples such as “the art of the fake slap.”
Nearly 30 minutes longer than an episode of the VH1 TV series, the live production occasionally suffers from pacing issues, but the Pit Crew (a coterie of buff, underwear-clad dancers) is always on hand to bring the audience’s energy back up to 11. While the competition itself gets somewhat lost in the chaotic conclusion, the grand finale—which features a classic Las Vegas illuminated staircase for the queens to regally sashay down—sends the festive crowd home singing the on-brand refrain that “losing is the new winning.”
RuPaul has earned fervent fans across all demographics, but even if you aren’t already an admirer, Drag Race Live! serves up some of the best production values in town, with an opulent, digitally driven set; dynamic choreography; and more eye-popping costume changes than we’ve seen since Jubilee! shuttered. And if you’ve never previously imagined yourself cheering for a cavalcade of crossdressers, just remember what Mama Ru always says: “We’re all born naked and the rest is drag!”
Consumer Tips
The Flamingo Showroom is huge, but the production makes full use of its large stage and video screens, which means you can enjoy the show from almost anywhere. VIP tables in the front rows are too close for comfortable viewing of the runway, and seats in the back of the balcony may have restricted sight lines to some of the interactions that occur in the audience. Your best bet is a seat somewhere in the center of the orchestra level, but be aware that the communal booths are a bit too cramped for the number of patrons they try to squeeze into them. Finally, you can also see Drag Race alums at Senor Frog’s Drag Brunch at Mandalay Bay (see tinyurl.com/dragbrunchlv for ticket information).
