by: Steve Desroches
The trajectory of Sutton Lee Seymour in Provincetown has been a joy to watch. The Broadway-inspired drag queen always gives it her all, harnessing the energy of the big stage productions she’s so fond of and electrifying any size stage she is on. And it would be hard to find a queen with a Provincetown origin story like hers as it was born out of calamity.
Seymour made her Provincetown debut in the summer of 2020, right at the height of the pandemic restrictions. The town was surreal back then with the absence of much of the hallmarks that make summer in Provincetown. But with all the uncertainty of the time, drag queens remained a constant. And while many of the big wigs and frequent guest stars took the summer off, Seymour saw an opportunity and went for it, taking gigs in the outdoor performance space created by the Pilgrim House in its parking lot and entertaining on a stage only feet away from a dumpster. She’d been trying to land a gig in Provincetown for years and she’d make the best of it no matter what. And it has paid off in dividends, as she is at the start of her first summer-long run in town at Red Room with Broadway Barbie, a lively and fun pastiche of a variety of drag styles that makes for a rollicking good time.
Inspired by the blockbuster film of last summer and the long history of the doll itself, Broadway Barbie doesn’t stick to a narrow narrative, but rather swings wildly and stays in the moment, always ensconced in the pink of its inspiration. With all-live singing Sutton Lee Seymour exhibits her great talent, which brought her from her hometown of Winnetka, Illinois, to New York City. Her nimbleness as a performer shows she has the chops to adjust course when unexpected opportunities arrive. Broadway Barbie showcases all that Seymour offers as a drag artist: the vocal prowess of a Broadway singer, the comedy chops of a stand-up comic, the physicality of a circus clown, and the packed-in-a-trunk polish of a vaudeville hoofer. All combined, it makes for a really good time, the kind of show where you truly do leave all your troubles at the door and feel lighter on your way out of Red Room, which it’s worth mentioning is a gorgeous and stylish performance venue.
The secret ingredient that makes the sauce sizzle in Broadway Barbie is the clandestine use of improv. It isn’t apparent until the use of hindsight makes it clear, but Sutton Lee Seymour is flying by the seat of her glitter panties. And it’s that talent that proves she has the chops to be a Provincetown headliner.
Sutton Lee Seymour presents Broadway Barbie now through August 29 at 7 p.m. at Red Room, 258 Commercial St. For tickets ($35/$45) and show dates visit redroom.club.
