‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Producers Have Broadway Dreams as Las Vegas Show Hits 1,000 Performances

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” may currently be airing its 17th season, but as its Emmy-winning host says in one of her most iconic songs: This is just the beginning.

In fact, executive producers and World of Wonder co-founders Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato told TheWrap they have Broadway dreams for the reality TV show mainstay while celebrating the 1,000th performance of “RuPaul’s Drag Race Live!” in Las Vegas.

“A lot of the creative team from ‘Drag Race’ has brainstormed and put this show together and it became clear that it should be like watching the show,” Barbato said. “That’s what we wanted to do, recreate that experience. Early on in the show we were figuring out all different iterations of ‘Drag Race’ just to grow it.”

“The growth and the creative explorations of the Vegas show have a lot to do with the cast,” he continued, to which Bailey elaborated, “which is true of the TV show too, isn’t it? Since every season is so profoundly different because of the cast.”

“Talent is always the No. 1 thing. But it’s hard work, so who’s going to show up? Who really wants to do it? There are numerous queens — the cast isn’t big enough. We’re talking about doing another show, maybe in New York,” Barbato teased. “We love hiring drag queens, there aren’t enough jobs for them.”

Some of those drag queens were in attendance at the Flamingo Showroom on Saturday as “RPDR Live!” hit 1,000 shows — complete with a surprise cameo from RuPaul himself, a red carpet celebration, a dozen returning stars and a rather elegant afterparty extravaganza. That capped off an entire weekend of “Drag Race”-driven events with the Top 6 queens of Season 17: Jewels Sparkles, Lana Ja’Rae, Lexi Love, Onya Nurve, Sam Star and Suzie Toot.

Meanwhile, the live event’s special guests included fan-favorite queens like Kylie Sonique Love, Derrick Barry, Deja Skye, Yara Sofia, Kennedy Davenport, Jaymes Mansfield and Mirage (who all popped up in the finale number), in addition to main cast members Asia O’Hara, Plane Jane, Morphine Love Dion, Jaida Essence Hall and host Ginger Minj, as well as the legendary Hot Chocolate, Naomi Smalls, Symone, Cheryl Hole, Daniel Franzese, the Pit Crew dancers and co-director Jamal Sims. Plus, the milestone moment even aired live on WOW Presents Plus and will remain available to stream on the platform in perpetuity. 

“I hope the first thing they do is look up an airplane, book a ticket and come!” Bailey said of fans seeing the show online for the first time. “It’s great on screen, but it’s also great to experience it. That’s a unique thing. Hopefully we’ll encourage people, even if they do see it streaming, that they’ll put it on the bucket list.”

Barbato agreed, saying, “We have an amazing audience all around the world, so we’ve been doing more live stuff. But just like us, it’ll be a little scrappy, so people are going to have to come see it.”

And while Voss Events’ Werq the World tour allows fans to see some of their favorite queens locally, Sin City really is a special treat for loyal viewers who are able to make the trip.

“I love Vegas, Vegas is like a drag queen. It’s the perfect home for ‘Drag Race Live!’ because all the lights and the sparkles,” Barbato shared. “It’s very important for us to be here because you’ve got the sports bars and ‘Drag Race’ — we’re providing a service. The fans love coming here, and also it’s a great place for new fans to experience, discover, become part of the family.”

“In the world we’re living in today, with what’s going on around us, it delivers something … that laughter, and joy, and visibility is so critical right now, because there’s so much darkness,” he added of RuPaul’s empire. “So that’s why we’re so motivated, whether it’s the TV show or ‘Drag Race Live!'”

“It takes me back to last century, when Ru was on a tiny stage at a tiny club.” It’s that energy, it’s exactly the same — a bigger scale — but it’s the same thing,” Bailey concluded. “It’s the joy of it, let’s call it queer joy. It can get anyone out of bed in the morning.”

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season 17 airs Fridays on MTV. “RuPaul’s Drag Race Live!” has performances Thursday-Monday at the Flamingo hotel and the 1000th Show special is available to stream on WOW Presents Plus.

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