Judged by their basic ideas, execution, music and general impression, right here is how every Rusical fared in our rating.
Greater than maybe some other present within the historical past of tv, RuPaul’s Drag Race has at all times prided itself on creating an area for the intersection of popular culture and queerness. Whether or not it’s in a lip sync on your life to a well-known LGBTQ anthem, or a pitch-perfect Snatch Recreation impersonation of a homosexual icon, Drag Race delivers a bevy of queer cultural moments yearly.
Within the collection’ newer seasons, one explicit model of these moments emerged as a fan-favorite: the Rusical problem. Because the debut of “Shade: The Rusical” again in season 6, each important season of Drag Race has featured the now-iconic problem the place queens are tasked with choosing roles and creating on a show-stopping theatrical expertise. Full with costumes, choreography and the occasional 11 o’clock quantity, the Rusical problem is a near-perfect approach to rejoice the queer neighborhood’s timeless obsession with musical theater.
Similar to Broadway itself, just about something might be changed into a Rusical: Some challenges have seen queens telling an authentic story about drag ingenues interacting with evil queens; others have seen them telling the flippantly altered tales of pop divas; one even noticed the queens making an attempt to promote pretend pharmaceutical merchandise.
What makes an excellent Rusical efficiency? Beneath, Billboard takes a glance again at each Rusical efficiency within the historical past of RuPaul’s Drag Race and RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, and ranks them from worst to finest primarily based on their basic ideas, execution, music and general impression. Check out the place your favourite Rusical ended up beneath:
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‘PharmaRusical’ (Season 10, Episode 2)
Idea: Who got here up with this? It’s type of humorous, however in the end very unusual and random to take the format of drug infomercials and rework them into drag puns that type of turn into songs. We don’t want to listen to a music a couple of drug referred to as Badonkadonx that offers you an even bigger butt — even when it’s attempting to be over-the-top and campy, it nonetheless fizzles out.
Execution: It’s robust to recollect a single efficiency from such a wierd Rusical. The Vixen made essentially the most out of what she was given, and Mayhem Miller’s ballad about anal choices was objectively humorous. The remaining largely received left within the background.
Music: The songs of this Rusical are disjointed, skipping round often from hip-hop to Broadway to pop at a frenzied tempo. There’s not so much to say right here – there’s little or no that’s truly profitable on this music.
Total: Particularly in a season that had one other (a lot better) Rusical, the PharmaRusical was a forgettable expertise, and one that you simply actually don’t have to suppose an excessive amount of about. For those who’re trying to rewatch outdated episodes, be happy to skip this.
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Glamazonian Airways (Season 7, Episode 2)
Idea: Whereas being barely extra coherent than the PharmaRusical, Glamazonian Airways nonetheless elicits the query, “Why?” Spoofing airline takeoff movies makes a bit extra sense than satirizing pharmaceutical commercials, however it isn’t precisely ripe for comedy.
Execution: Mrs. Kasha Davis served a full ham dinner, which is the one good selection for this unusual lip-sync expertise. Ginger Minj earned her win along with her choreography and her wacky faces. A lot of the different queens on this problem did a serviceable job, with solely Katya, Miss Fame and Sasha Belle standing out for his or her wrestle with performing the quantity.
Music: With a high 40 pop really feel to every of the songs, there’s a loads of continuity right here. There’s nothing significantly thrilling in regards to the choices, however they actually aren’t dangerous.
Total: Glamazonian Airways is one other uncommon swing-and-miss among the many Rusical challenges. Particularly when in comparison with later entries on this record, this season 7 problem did not take off.
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Kardashian: The Musical (Season 9, Episode 5)
Idea: Now this is what we name an idea. Taking a Broadway sensation like Hamilton and parodying it by altering the topic to actuality TV royalty is an ideal approach to get each the competing queens and the viewers at house invested in what’s occurring.
Execution: Sadly, even with such an excellent idea, two queens ended up bearing the burden of this Rusical on their shoulders. Alexis Michelle’s unhinged portrayal of Kris Jenner was excellent for the problem, and Shea Couleé’s Blac Chyna was an absolute scene-stealer. However in a musical centered across the function of Kim Kardashian, it’s arduous to observe Cynthia Lee Fontaine’s strained stint within the highlight.
Music: The music isn’t dangerous, per se. However when the reference level you’ve chosen to imitate is a musical like Hamilton, there’s instantly plenty of expectation to reside as much as. The “membership music” that includes Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan was enjoyable, as was “Momager,” however the moments meant to instantly reference Lin-Manuel Miranda’s magnum opus fell aside.
Total: The concept of Kardashian: The Musical is bigger than the sum of its elements. Whereas the idea ought to work, the one really memorable elements of this efficiency had been Alexis Michelle, Shea Couleé, and Nina Bo’nina Brown continuously insisting that she ought to’ve been Blac Chyna.
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Cher: The Unauthorized Rusical (Season 10, Episode 8)
Idea: Contemplating that The Cher Present, an precise Broadway musical exploring the lifetime of this pop icon, was already within the works on the time of this Rusical’s launch, it’s protected to say that the idea is strong. This can be a easy, enjoyable approach to give every queen the highlight, by having them spotlight a special period within the Goddess of Pop’s decades-spanning profession.
Execution: The great largely outweighs the dangerous right here — Kameron Michaels’ ’60s Cher had nice vocals and a really humorous impersonation, Monét X Change proved that she might sing the home down, and Miz Cracker delivered probably the greatest (and admittedly, underrated) performances of the present as Vocoder Comeback Cher. A couple of queens stumbled, like The Vixen and Asia O’Hara, however even then, the queens nonetheless labored this quantity out.
Music: Whereas the performances on this problem made us Consider, the music was merely not Sturdy Sufficient. The verse for Miz Cracker’s Comeback Cher, together with like “I do know the gays will purchase this/ And I do know Britney will do this” is far-and-away the perfect, whereas the Film Star Cher part sounds prefer it’s pulled from one other challenge fully. When the music works, it really works — sadly, there are various sections the place it doesn’t.
Total: The format of this unauthorized Cher Rusical, together with some high-quality performances from the queens of season 10, make up for the music’s dip in high quality.
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Social Media: The Unverified Rusical (Season 13, Episode 8)
Idea: Taking every main social media platform and personifying them right into a solid of wildly unhinged characters is a simple, albeit hackneyed plot system that results in all types of ridiculous on stage shenanigans. It’s enjoyable, it’s campy, it’s what you’ve come to count on from a Rusical. It’s actually not value a downvote, however it’s not getting retweeted any time quickly.
Execution: The queens did a reasonably good job on this problem, with a number of distinctive standouts, and some who we merely should swipe left on. Rosé, as anticipated, killed her function as Cunning, Denali and Gottmik’s Russian bots had us rolling, and whereas the judges had been centered on a mistake Tina Burner made in character, we couldn’t assist however completely adore her efficiency because the night’s emcee, Friendster. In the meantime Symoné and Kandy each fizzled of their respective roles as Instagram and LinkedIn, whereas Elliott with 2 Ts’ TikTok impersonation felt prefer it merely couldn’t go the vibe examine.
Music: The music parodies listed below are very good — rewriting each the music and lyrics of Barbra Streisand’s iconic Humorous Woman showstopper “Don’t Rain On My Parade” to suit the theme was the strongest alternative of the night time, with the nods to Broadway staples like “The Cell Block Tango,” “Do You Hear the Individuals Sing?” and even “I Am the Very Mannequin of a Fashionable Main-Common” choosing up plenty of the slack from the tasteless story.
Total: Whereas the idea might not have been significantly ingenious or fascinating, Social Media: The Unverified Rusical was saved by good musical numbers and showstopping performances from a number of of the queens. Be happy to present it a like.
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Shade: The Rusical (Season 6, Episode 4)
Idea: Because the first-ever Rusical, the concept behind Shade is easy; what occurs if we take some traditional stage tropes and reflavor them for drag queens? A winsome ingenue, a jaded diva, a brassy villain, a Greek refrain — they hit the entire marks, giving every solid member a possibility to shine all through this chaotic present.
Execution: Courtney Act, Adore Delano and BenDeLaCreme are absolute stars on this Rusical. Courtney and Adore show that the live-singing format could make for a few of the most enjoyable vocal performances within the present’s herstory, and BenDeLaCreme is the embodiment camp because the eye-patched, leopard-printed villain. Exterior of that, there’s not so much to say; Bianca del Rio turned in a strong efficiency (shoutout to her supply of “She’s a person with one eye!”), queens like Darienne Lake and Gia Gunn struggled with their singing, whereas Trinity Ok. Bonet and April Carrion merely regarded misplaced on the stage.
Music: Whereas the music of Shade will not be significantly ingenious in comparison with a few of the most up-to-date Rusicals, it’s value noting that the music is efficient in delivering the over-the-top story and hitting the musical theater beats that followers would wish to see.
Total: Shade: The Rusical kicked off the Rusical problem pattern on Drag Race, and featured quite a lot of extremely entertaining, memorable performances. Whereas there have been actually some tough patches that confirmed the kinks in want of tweaking for the way forward for this problem, we wouldn’t have the format we love immediately with out Shade.
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Trump: The Rusical (Season 11, Episode 4)
Idea: Some followers had been very trepidatious about Drag Race making mild of the controversial president and his lackeys with this Rusical — however trying again, this was most likely essentially the most on-brand approach for Drag Race to handle the Trump administration. Turning Grease right into a political spoof the place the queens get to overtly mock these surrounding Trump (and reward those that opposed him) was about pretty much as good of an idea as we’ve seen in these Rusicals.
Execution: The queens did a terrific job on this yuuuuge problem. Silky Nutmeg Ganache stole the highlight along with her Oprah Winfrey quantity, Nina West’s flip as Sarah Huckabee Sanders was gut-busting, Ariel Versace nailed the main function of “Shandy,” and Yvie Oddly’s deranged Kellyanne Conway was precisely the correct amount of loopy. However with out uttering a single phrase, Ginger Minj’s visitor star flip as Donald Trump himself was the show-stopping second of this complete Rusical.
Music: It’s not straightforward to create a number of parody songs about political corruption within the fashion of Grease, however Drag Race managed to do it. Whereas not each quantity was a winner, the overwhelming majority of them hit their marks as wanted, and deftly walked the road between imitation and authentic.
Total: Trump: The Rusical had the potential to fall flat on its face, but it managed to be one among Drag Race‘s most constant Rusicals. It was over-the-top, humorous, and saved the spirit of Grease intact all through, all whereas attending to throw up an enormous center finger to the Commander in Chief.
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VH1 Divas Lip Sync Reside (‘All Stars’ Season 3, Episode 2)
Idea: Simplicity, it seems, is essential when placing collectively a Rusical. With Drag Race and All Stars having made the official transfer over to VH1 , making a musical across the community’s iconic Divas collection made excellent sense for the present — and felt like a easy, straightforward approach to each reimagine tracks from RuPaul’s catalog and let the queens embody a few of their favourite chart-topping artists.
Execution: Merely put, everybody did nice. BenDeLaCreme was born to shake her ass whereas impersonating Julie Andrews, Shangela’s Mariah was spot-on, Trixie Mattel might pull off Dolly Parton in her sleep, and Bebe Zahara Benet regarded just like the spitting picture of Diana Ross herself. Even Thorgy Thor’s flip as Stevie Nicks, whereas much less spectacular than a few of her cohorts, was nonetheless unbelievably entertaining to observe.
Music: Retrofitting every of RuPaul’s singles for various divas — spanning genres like pop, nation, rock, grownup up to date and extra — is a Herculean activity. However every music match each queen and made the efficiency that rather more enjoyable to observe, anticipating simply how they’d take a music like “Peanut Butter” and make it work as a Celine Dion showstopper.
Total: From high to backside, this problem checked each field it wanted to, and earned its Diva title.
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The Sound of Rusic (Season 16, Episode 7)
Idea: Is there a extra universally-beloved musical than The Sound of Music? Throughout generations, this Rodgers & Hammerstein traditional continues to be cited to at the present time as an viewers favourite within the theater neighborhood. That’s each a blessing and a curse for Drag Race. Taking a narrative that so many adore and reworking it right into a campy Rusical is a simple win; however, when your model simplifies the difficult plot of the unique into only a singing competitors, it falls a bit flat.
Execution: No matter how properly (or not) the final story beats of this Rusical play out, there isn’t a denying that the queens delivered top-shelf performances. Sapphira Cristál’s melodramatic flip as Mom Superior and Q’s unhinged appearing because the Baroness each deserve their excessive placements on this episode. However there’s a cause Plasma gained — her dedicated, energetic efficiency all through the present as Mariah demanded viewers’ undivided consideration from begin to end, and will very properly be remembered as probably the greatest performances in a Rusical problem up to now.
Music: Whereas the musical stylings of The Sound of Rusic don’t fairly attain the heights of different fan-favorite Rusicals, there’s nonetheless loads to like right here. The sheer vary of types — operatic arias, polka-esque villain songs and large pop numbers — assist this Rusical stand out, even when not one of the songs themselves really feel definitively new for the format.
Total: The Sound of Rusic by no means fairly lives as much as the potential of its premise, however a bevy of star-making performances from the queens elevate the present past its personal limiting construction.
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Bitch Excellent (Season 8, Episode 2)
Idea: With Pitch Excellent‘s continued cultural dominance again in 2016, this problem was an ideal approach to honor (and poke enjoyable) on the impression of a cappella. There’s no want for a convoluted plot or fleshed-out characters when all we actually wish to see is our favourite drag queens competing in numerous collegiate singing troupes.
Execution: Return and watch Bitch Excellent and take a look at to not have a good time. Everybody on this problem is giving their finest, campiest efficiency artwork, and completely understanding the choreography. The late, nice Chi Chi DeVayne is an instantaneous standout — her handstand-twerk continues to impress us to at the present time — whereas Thorgy Thor’s unbridled vitality is infectious. Kudos to each single one among these queens.
Music: That is a few of the finest music ever put to the stage in a Rusical problem. Whether or not they had been going for bubblegum pop on “Jealous of My Boogie” or scintillating hip-hop on “Geronimo,” each a cappella association on this efficiency was completely stellar.
Total: It will not be the primary one which involves thoughts for some followers, however Bitch Excellent is much and away probably the greatest Rusical performances ever delivered to the mainstage of Drag Race. Everyone say “underrated!”
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JOAN: The Unauthorized Rusical (‘All Stars’ Season 8, Episode 6)
Idea: Very like the Madonna and Cher Rusicals, JOAN: The Unauthorized Rusical gives up a easy however productive biopic-esque method to comply with when it comes to plot. Joan Crawford, homosexual icon that she is, actually makes for a meaty topic on this well-structured story of her profession. There’s loads of alternative right here for queens to chew the surroundings and protest the inclusion of wire hangers, which means it’s a Rusical everybody ought to have the ability to get behind.
Execution: Now this is the way you carry out a Rusical. Not one of the queens had been standouts for poor execution — the choice to place Jaymes and Kahanna within the backside felt like an issue stemming from their roles quite than their performances. However loads of queens instantly stood out — Kandy Muse, Jessica Wild and Alexis Michelle introduced the entire distinctive screeches and dramatics that you’d hope to see in a Joan Crawford musical. However the high of the highest, in our view, was Lala Ri’s recreation of Mildred Pierce-era Joan with perfectly-over-the-top, deliciously unhinged efficiency of “Let’s Go Joan.”
Music: Whereas Joan will not be as instantly catchy as a few of the entries in a while on this record, it’s nonetheless protected to say that Leland did a distinctive job composing wholly authentic tracks for this actuality tv musical. With full songs like “No Extra Wire Hangers,” “Carry Me the Axe” and “Let’s Go Joan” instantly standing out as pitch-perfect creations, this Rusical proves as soon as once more that the songwriting and producing put into these challenges stays top-tier.
Total: When bringing Joan Crawford’s story to the mainstage of Drag Race, the queens, producers and songwriters all made certain that JOAN: The Unauthorized Rusical was an affair to rememeber. Don’t f–okay with ’em, fellas! This ain’t their first time on the rodeo!
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Moulin Ru! The Rusical (Season 14, Episode 12)
Idea: This story is about … drag. The concept right here is fairly easy — taking the hit movie and Broadway musical Moulin Rouge, re-translating it utilizing the music of RuPaul herself, and casting drag queens (in addition to Leland and Leslie Jordan) within the roles. With a built-in and already beloved story, you could have your self a successful method for a Rusical.
Execution: Can we get a standing ovation? All through this marvelous Rusical, every of the seven queens did a superb job pulling out all of the stops to ace the monumental activity of telling the story of Moulin Rouge armed solely with RuPaul’s repertoire. Some queens, although, sparkled greater than others — Woman Camden specifically, in her Harold Ziegler-adjacent function as “Mama Z,” stole each second she appeared, nefariously stroking her beard and twiddling her mustache. Willow Tablet additionally managed to shine because the Inexperienced Fairy along with her high-energy, ratcheting-up efficiency within the present’s again half.
Music: Producers Leland and Gabe Lopez nailed the task. Every of the tracks all through the Rusical took on RuPaul’s songs — together with “Cowl Woman,” “Freaky Cash” and “Jealous of My Boogie” — and gave them that dramatic, brassy twist that makes Moulin Rouge so enjoyable to take heed to time and again. Additionally, pay attention carefully to that Inexperienced Fairy medley, and also you’ll hear the attractive vocal stylings of Allie X giving a really unhinged efficiency.
Total: Season 14’s installment of the annual Rusical problem was, to borrow a phrase, spectacular-spectacular. With a clear-cut idea, some entertaining takes on RuPaul originals and a collection of show-stopping performances, Moulin Ru will go down as probably the greatest Rusicals within the present’s herstory, come what might.
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HERstory of the World (‘All Stars’ Season 2, Episode 3)
Idea: Taking a tour by means of historical past, guided by a handful of the highly effective girls who helped form it? Good. Not solely is the idea simply accessible for followers, however it opens the door for hilarious performances and artistic liberties with music all through historical past. Somebody within the Drag Race writers room deserved a elevate for this idea, and we hope they received it.
Execution: Even the judges had a tough time discovering faults in these performances. They ended up singling out Katya and Ginger Minj, however each excelled within the problem — Ginger’s completely unhinged Catherine the Nice was hilarious to observe, and Katya’s Princess Diana felt spot-on. In fact, the 2 scene stealers had been Detox as a neon-colored, opera-singing Marie Antoinette, and Alyssa Edwards’ rootin’, tootin’, gun-shootin’ Annie Oakley. If there had been an viewers, we might have anticipated a standing ovation.
Music: With each music, the producers upped the camp issue, making this problem even funnier than it wanted to be. Making arduous pivots from heavy steel to opera to rockabilly to salsa, the music in HERstory of the World is insane — and but each music works for the context it’s put in.
Total: Whereas it was removed from the primary Rusical, HERstory of the World actually helped cement the Rusical’s standing as a mainstay problem on Drag Race, because of how exceedingly properly it was executed.
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Madonna: The Unauthorized Rusical (Season 12, Episode 7)
Idea: The truth that we don’t have a real-life Madonna jukebox musical is, frankly, legal. With a songbook as iconic and versatile as Madonna’s, Drag Race can be silly to not pay homage to the Materials Woman’s profession by means of a Rusical.
Execution: First issues first — sure, Jan was robbed. The New York Metropolis queen slayed each vocal, nailed each dance transfer, and was a near-perfect embodiment of Early Madge. However once you take a look at the remainder of the expertise on this Rusical, it’s comprehensible why the judges had such a tough time selecting who ought to win the problem — everybody was phenomenal. Gigi Goode’s True Blue-period impersonation was endlessly entertaining, Jaida Essence Corridor served pure intercourse, Crystal Methyd was ridiculous (and actually good!), and even Brita (who ended up sashaying away on this episode) did a wonderful job portraying the long-lasting cone-bra part of the Queen of Pop’s profession.
Music: One phrase: composition. Nailing a parody music is a troublesome activity, however every monitor within the Madonna Rusical completely evokes a particular music in her catalog with out instantly utilizing its melody. Each music managed to be each humorous and good — a feat that no different Rusical achieved fairly like this one did.
Total: This Rusical had nearly every thing — unimaginable performances, a robust properly of fabric to drag from, excellently orchestrated music and stellar choreography. It’s arduous to beat Madge, so it’s no marvel why Madonna: The Unauthorized Rusical is among the absolute best Rusicals within the historical past of Drag Race.
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Wigloose: The Rusical (Season 15, Episode 12)
Idea: It’s uncommon to see a parody transcend the scope of its supply materials. Positive, on its face, Wigloose: The Rusical plainly performs off of Footloose — however to capitalize on the precise real-life drag bans spreading all through the U.S. with a light-hearted but very poignant efficiency is nothing in need of genius. This is among the smartest ideas for a Rusical we’ve seen.
Execution: The judges themselves mentioned it — nobody did a nasty job on this Rusical. Each queen excelled of their respective performances, whether or not it was Sasha Colby delivering excessive camp with the character of Carl, Mistress Isabelle Brookes serving villainess realness as Preacher Instructor, or Anetra bringing the viewers to real tears as Mama Bacon. Every efficiency from every queen was not solely campy and humorous, but additionally layered and dramatic when vital.
Music: Leland put one thing particular on this Rusical. As an alternative of repurposing outdated RuPaul songs or spoofing tracks from well-known pop stars, we received a whole set of authentic, extraordinarily catchy musical theater songs that gave the impression of they may have been coming off of a Broadway stage. The singers featured on every of the tracks had been phenomenal, the compositions had been right, and the musicality all through made Wigloose really feel like a lot greater than your common Drag Race problem.
Total: Inside 3 minutes of the beginning of Wigloose, it grew to become clear that no different Rusical within the present’s historical past might probably compete. With a sensible idea, distinctive performances throughout, and phenomenal music, Wigloose: The Rusical stands head and shoulders above its opponents as the best Rusical to ever seem on RuPaul’s Drag Race.
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