Grief, Glitter, and Queer Joy: Inside At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen

Malcom Morgan-Petty as Courtney Berringers and Garrick Sigl as Vickie Versailles. Photo by Madrid Emulsion

As conversations about identity, visibility, and community continue to be important, Santa Fe Playhouse is presenting a powerful and timely story with At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen.
The show mixes drag performance, grief, humor, love, and social commentary as it follows queer Black artists dealing with identity, chosen family, and the ongoing impact of the HIV/AIDS crisis.

Actor Malcom Morgan-Petty was drawn to the role of Courtney Berringers because of its emotional depth and complexity. “Courtney’s quick wit and fast emotional shifts were very intriguing for me as an actor,” Morgan-Petty explains. “It’s such a complex role that I hadn’t had the opportunity to do before, and I saw it as a challenge for myself.”

The production’s complexity shows in how it shifts between humor and heartbreak. Morgan-Petty says it took patience and focus during rehearsals to find those emotional transitions. “Lots of practice was needed, and probably the most important thing was slowing down and existing in each moment,” he says. “Human beings are capable of such dramatic emotional shifts, and as an actor, it’s paramount to any performance’s story to be able to make that shift quickly and naturally.”

The story centers on the idea of chosen family, a theme that is important in the LGBTQ+ community. Morgan-Petty hopes audiences leave thinking about the importance of connection and legacy. “The biggest thing is that love is thicker than blood,” he says. “Your chosen family, whether they happen to be blood or not, is as important as the way you challenge each other and make each other better people.”

Morgan-Petty also sees himself in Courtney’s story, especially in the character’s family relationships and wish to live authentically. “The biggest thing I believe we share is the want, no, the need to live life BIG!” he says. “To live a meaningful life filled with joy, intentional relationships, and positive social change.”

Malcom Morgan-Petty as Courtney Berringers. Photo by Madrid Emulsion

The show also addresses tough but important topics like Black identity, queerness, and HIV/AIDS. Morgan-Petty feels these themes are especially relevant now.

​“We are living in a time where freedom of expression is under attack along with teaching true history and healthcare,” he says. “Black people and queer people aren’t new to society. We have just always been oppressed and thought of as less than and deserving less rights.”

Actor Garrick Sigl shares the stage with Morgan-Petty as Vickie Versailles, a character who balances ambition, grief, and vulnerability. For Sigl, the emotional honesty of the role has been one of the most rewarding parts of the experience.

“The most rewarding part of bringing Vickie to life for me is showcasing the vulnerability and truth of falling in love with somebody without knowing exactly where that may go,” he says. “The future is certainly not promised for either of them, but understanding and choosing love and friendship despite it all holds power.”

The two actors’ real-life friendship, spanning over 10 years, adds to their onstage chemistry. “Chemistry on stage was really built and found in a space of safety,” Sigl explains. “This team was the perfect culmination of artists, and I couldn’t ask for a more nourishing team as an actor.”

Sigl sees drag as a key part of how the audience connects with the story. “The art of drag is the art of community,” he says. “Courtney immediately invites the audience into this world using drag — welcome you to the wake; you are allowed to be yourself here.”

Garrick Sigl as Vickie Versailles. Photo by Madrid Emulsion.

Audience reactions have included both grief and celebration, with many people reflecting on the emotional impact of revisiting a difficult part of LGBTQ+ history.

“People are recalling the past because they lived through this crisis and how this show gently reminds them of the genuinely amazing people they lost,” Sigl says. “Many people are noticing how much these characters endure and how they still find joy and expression despite everything working against them.”

When asked to sum up the production in one sentence, Sigl gives a fitting description: “At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen is a ghost story about what happens when grief, glitter, true love, and queer joy all get locked in a room together, accidentally discover they need each other, and throw one hell of a party before the last call.”

At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen promises audiences an unforgettable experience filled with laughter, pain, vulnerability, and celebration. The show reminds viewers of the power of chosen family and the importance of preserving queer stories.

​At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen runs through May 31. For more information and tickets, visit santafeplayhouse.org.