Features

Drag Becomes Him

January 14, 2014

Originally released as a five-part web series, Drag Becomes Him is slated to become a feature-length documentary in summer 2014—thanks to Jinkx Monsoon and a crowd of supporters cultivated through a Kickstarter campaign.

“No one should be this young and yet this incredibly talented,” BroadwayWorld writes.

Directed by Alex Berry and produced by Basil Shadid and Dual Power Productions, Drag Becomes Him is a behind-the-scenes foray into the personality and passion of entertainer Jerick Hoffer, also known as Jinkx Monsoon, a drag queen Seattle’s The Stranger dubs “the best f**king performer in Seattle.” The cherished original series will be expanded to include additional footage and an entirely new edit, offering a deeper glimpse into the life of this charming drag superstar. The lovable season five winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race has performed off Broadway and won a Gregory Award.

Hoffer is a seasoned, Portland-born entertainer and graduate of Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle. As early as 2006, he appeared as the lead dancer in the world’s largest drag queen chorus line, which made the Guinness World Records. By 2012, he had advanced to roles in Seattle theatres, playing Moritz in “Spring Awakening” (Balagan Theatre) and Angel in “RENT” (5th Avenue Theatre). After starring in the critically acclaimed original run of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” (Balagan Theatre/Seattle Theatre Group), Hoffer’s winning run on RuPaul’s Drag Race aired on Logo TV.

As “America’s next drag superstar,” Hoffer has performed as Jinkx Monsoon for adoring fans throughout the world and co-starred with Richard Andriessen (a.k.a. Major Scales) in a critically acclaimed off-Broadway run of the original cabaret comedy, “The Vaudevillians.” He has performed as Velma Von Tussle in “Hairspray in Concert” (5th Avenue Theatre) and co-starred with Peaches Christ in “Return to Grey Gardens.” After an encore performance in Seattle’s “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” Hoffer will release his first studio album as well as perform in the international premiere of “The Vaudevillians” in Australia.

Alex Berry is a filmmaker living in Seattle. In addition to the original Drag Becomes Him mini-series, Berry has made several music videos, along with online commercials for local companies, fashion designers, and dance clubs. His work, described as “engrossing” and “beautifully filmed,” has appeared on The Huffington Post, NewNowNext, and City Arts.

Dual Power Productions is an entertainment company in Seattle that produces serious, fun, thought-provoking, educational, and absurd media that promotes understanding, critical thinking, personal development, and social change.