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He’s recognized greatest for competing on the eleventh season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” however Andrew Levitt — often known as Nina West — is now headlining the brand new Broadway in Atlanta touring model of “Hairspray,” hitting the ATL June 30.
The performer vividly remembers seeing the John Waters movie with Divine and naturally the unique stage model with Harvey Fierstein on the age of 23 solely three days earlier than it formally opened on Broadway. When requested, he jumped on the likelihood to play Edna Turnblad.
“‘Hairspray’ is that this unbelievable, splendidly sensible Broadway musical full of pleasure,” Levitt advised Georgia Voice. “The character of Edna is among the best characters written for the stage. She is complicated, humorous, unhappy. She has a whole lot of layers and that has been the best enchantment in me wanting to do that mission. It was additionally actually thrilling to carry her to life on this period, 20 years after it opened, within the tour and have her be so celebrated.”
Levitt feels the musical is a chance to indicate expertise he’s not been in a position to earlier than. He brings his coronary heart and pleasure and ache and personal disappointment to the position.
“Edna is misplaced in her personal insecurity and troubles,” he mentioned. “I relate to her being chubby. That hits residence for me. I additionally relate to not feeling ok in my very own pores and skin; I feel that’s one thing that resonates with all of us. What I carry to her is my willingness to be as genuine with my very own insecurity and ache as a lot as potential.”
Levitt calls the e-book of the musical one of the vital fabulous ever written. He additionally provides kudos to the hummable rating.
Life on the tour has been a pleasure. By the point he arrives in Atlanta, it should have been 18 months, and he’ll be winding down on the finish of June.
“It’s so superior to go across the nation and share this story to audiences and have the chance to see the nation and be uncovered to tradition domestically,” Levitt mentioned. “I can not wait to be in Atlanta to eat the meals and store and be part of town for every week.”
He’s been to town many instances earlier than, for each private {and professional} functions. In 2009, he carried out on the “Stars of the Century” drag occasion.
“RuPaul’s Drag Race” modified Levitt’s whole profession, pulling him out of Columbus, Ohio, and plopping him on a world stage.
“I did Harvey Fierstein as a personality [for Snatch Game] and Jerry Mitchell, the choreographer of ‘Hairspray,’ noticed me do this and reached out, as did Harvey, who mentioned he was flattered,” he mentioned. “Two months later, Jerry referred to as me once more to say he was doing a re-launch of ‘Hairspray’ and needed me to do Edna. I believed, ‘What the hell?’ Actually your entire cause I’m doing the present is due to ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race.’ I can’t be extra grateful and grateful.”
Following in Fierstein’s sneakers is intimidating, nonetheless, which was Levitt’s preliminary hesitation with saying sure to the position.
“Harvey is so iconic,” he mentioned. “One of many first issues folks had been saying when it was introduced I used to be doing this was, ‘Oh my God, are you going to be doing the voice?’ They meant am I going to mimic Harvey. No! I’ve to seek out and use my very own voice. I’ve to do my very own model of Edna.”
Levitt additionally just lately launched a youngsters’s e-book, “The You Form of Type.” He wrote it in the course of the pandemic and it was within the works whereas he was on “Drag Race” in 2019.
“All of these items had been enjoying into what made me write the e-book, however I had no thought how essential it will be,” he mentioned. “Drag is underneath assault now.”
Levitt’s unhappy in regards to the present state of affairs, with drag bans spreading throughout the nation.
“Drag is an extremely lovely, highly effective life pressure to the LGBTQIA group,” he mentioned. “It’s an artwork kind that gives not solely leisure, however advocacy and company. I feel that’s the reason folks on the suitable discover it threatening, as a result of it’s so highly effective. These are false cries — that drag queens are groomers and pedophiles. That’s not actual. It’s disgusting that these sorts of allegations are being levied in opposition to the group, that our queerness is so threatening to individuals who don’t respect ‘the opposite.’ It’s a very scary time to be a drag artist now, however it doesn’t imply that we cease or needs to be erased and return into the closet. I’m going to proceed to push and be a voice for the group.”
“Hairspray” runs Might 30–June 4 on the Fox Theatre
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