It has been quite a year for Seattle Based Actor and Drag Superstar, Jinkx Monsoon, last January she starred as Hedwig at Balagan and within 4 Months, was the toast of the Drag world as winner of Rupaul's Drag Race Season 5, playing Velma in 5th Ave's Hairspray Concert and success in New York with her show the Vaudvillians. Jinkx returned to Seattle and is once again
doing double duty in Delacreme's 'Homo for the Holidays', and returning for Balagan's 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch", for this week only. As Actor, Jerick Hoffer, it is about his craft. So I caught up with the Man about his creation back before it all exploded.
MK: January is quite a month for you with Hedwig and Drag Race, How are you Handling it?
JERICK Hoffer: You just take one day at a time. You make sure to pay full attention to what you're working on at that moment. While I'm at Hedwig rehearsal, I leave Drag Race at the door. But I am not missing a beat with Drag race either. Time management is key, and though it can be chaotic at times... these are good problems to have. I love every moment of getting to share my passion and personality with the world.
JERICK: When I saw the movie at age 14, it changed my life. I had always really admired the strength the character of Hedwig and the artistry of John Cameron Mitchell and Steven Trask. It had been a long standing dream of mine to play Hedwig in a full scale production and that dream has come to fruition, hopefully not for the last time. Hedwig's story, though very specific to her, has universal themes. For some, the struggle to find wholeness is all consuming, but it's through struggle that we learn who we really are.
JERICK: I ran around like a crazy person all winter... Honestly. I would run from one rehearsal, to the next, then I would run home, get in to drag, host a show, go to bed, wake up and do it all over again. But when you love what you do, you do what it takes to keep doing it. I also am blessed with the help of my best friend Kenneth. He and I have been best friends and roommates for some time now and he's always lent a helping hand in my drag career. Well now that my drag career needs a couple extra helping hands, he is officially my Personal Assistant and Social Secretary. He helps me stay on top of everything and helps me multi task. He is extraordinary and I feel like a lucky duck to have him working with me.
JERICK: I am drawn to Gender-bending roles because I get to combine drag and theater in one space. For me, there is no drag without Theater. Every time I'm in drag I'm "playing a character." I love to get the chance to do that in full scale shows as well. I have a lot of fun playing not only drag roles, but also honestly, earnestly and truthfully playing female roles in shows too. I think it is a false assumption that a man can't play a female role other than for comic effect. I think if the actor is truly transformational, we can forget what gender they are off stage and just pay attention to the character on stage. That said, yes, I would also play non-gender bending roles. My love for performing knows no bounds.
MK: What's Next? Drag-U? Stay close to home?
JINKX: If drag U calls, I am for sure taking it! I plan on staying based in Seattle for a while but doing a lot of touring. This is my first chance in my life to see the world and I wanna take it. But I feel very firmly rooted in the Northwest and want to stay here for a long while... But I HAVE always dreamt of one day being on Broadway and I have this dream of being the first drag queen to host SNL... So who knows. :)
MK: Thank You, Jinkx and Jerick!
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