THE BIG GAY JAMBOREE Is Big Gay Fun — Review

It is with great honor that I share Marla Mindelle’s deranged Off-Broadway rule has extended. Long live gay stupidity! Long live Jason Robert Brown references! Long live hilarious, original musicals! Mindelle’s The Big Gay Jamboree, joins her sister Titanique as the newest, hottest ticket for that gay guy you know. It’s here. It’s queer. It’s where STOMP used to be.

Unlike Titanique, Mindelle has teamed up with book writer Jonathan Parks-Ramage and composer and lyricist Philip Drennen to create a new musical comedy featuring original songs. Also unlike Titanique (and I say this with love), the budget has seemingly increased, thanks to producers like Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap Entertainment. 

Even though irreverent, queer theatre is thriving (see Oh Mary!’s record breaking run), the Suits would say The Big Gay Jamboree is a “risk.”  Titanique was lighting in a bottle, largely credited to Mindelle’s Lucille Lortel Award-winning kooky-crazy performance. Could that be replicated, this time with a bigger budget and original story? 

Stuffed to the brim with pop culture references, musical theatre allusions, and absolute, bat-shit heart, The Big Gay Jamboree is a sturdy, smart musical that, despite some meandering, solidifies Marla Mindelle’s star. Aided with a splashy Off-Broadway design team and strong supporting cast, it’s a laugh-out-loud funny show that, sure, isn’t going to be for just anyone. Luckily, Marla Mindelle knows exactly who her audience is. They want to talk about Jennifer Lopez’s career through musical theatre!  If that’s not you, don’t worry. You’ll catch up.

Like The Wizard of Oz (1939) or Trap (2024), the musical is about escaping. Struggling actress Stacey’s (Mindelle) biggest dream turns worst nightmare when she wakes up, vertically a-la Tracy Turnblad, as the lead in a golden age musical. Her sisters, also Tracy Turnblad-ing, exclaim it’s Stacey’s wedding day in Bareback, Idaho! Stacey did drink a bit last night. 

What follows is a fabulous, oh-what-a-beautiful-mornin number whooshing us into the world of Bareback, where one arm holds a baby and the other holds a gun. It’s an excellent setup for audience members who, and I say this with extreme confidence, religiously know the trials and tribulations of golden era musical theatre. Perturbed, Stacey decides the only way out is through. She will endure this dollar-store River City musical and plan her escape along the way.

It does take a bit for the story to find its dramatic footing. As Stacey tries to piece things together, the plot comes to a halt. Stacey’s early interactions with Bareback-ians are equally haunting and hilarious, especially when speaking to her stepford sisters, but the stranger-in-a-strange-land setup and subsequent confusion starts to wear thin. Sure, Stacey wants to escape this musical, but what does she really want? Just how many times can her sisters suggest they go to the beauty parlor before actually going?

The Big Gay Jamboree gets stuck between being a golden-era musical parody and a larger, dumber story that never fully materializes. At times, it seems the show is at odds with itself, trying to prove it’s a big budget musical with something to say AND incredibly stupid theatre for a modern audience. This is partly because the Mindelle and Parks-Ramage book is weaker in the first half and Mindelle and Drennen’s music and lyrics, while bright and engaging, are often overpowered by the orchestra and sound design in the small space. 

Thankfully, things begin to firm up when we finally get Stacey’s I Want song at the beauty parlor. We learn what Stacey wants, more than anything in the world is… To Be A Real Housewife On Any Franchise (Except Dubai). Yes, the great American dream of the modern actress! It’s a hilarious song expertly performed by Mindelle in her best contemporary musical theatre mix, a stark contrast from the rest of the score. As the 1940s glam headshots behind Stacey morph into the titans of Bravo, the tone of The Big Gay Jamboree hits its ultimate sweet spot between superfluous and dire. Such is all good gay culture. 

In a friend of Dorothy way, Stacey collects companions along her escape route, promising them fortuity in the modern world. There’s Clarence (Paris Nix), a Black man constrained to sing the token gospel song of the show. There’s Flora (Natalie Walker), a BDSM-curious diva shamed for her sex-positive ways. And there’s Bert (Constantine Rousouli), a really gay guy forced to live in a cave. We also continually flashback to Stacey’s insidiously-bro boyfriend Keith (Alex Moffat) and her failed acting career in the real world 

Across the board, the supporting performances are excellent. Especially worth shouting out are “THE Leading Man” Paris Nix’s vocals, “Madeline Kahn Character Actress” Natalie Walker’s comedic chops, and “Music And The Mirror” Constantine Rousouli’s dancing. Alex Moffat’s twisted character study of the “Worst Straight Guy You Know” is uniformly remarkable. It’s also great to see Titanique’s super-swing Brad Greer round out the versatile ensemble. 

Despite its flaws, most of The Big Gay Jamboree really works for a fun night out. There is no one better to convince you of that than Marla Mindelle. One standout moment is when she rallies the crowd to sing the gay ABCs like Maria Von Trapp did to those nasty children. Or when she scolds the audience for not acknowledging her dress “like at all” after a big costume change. The twists remain surprising and, by curtain call, the audience reaches a synchronicity: Marla Mindelle is a talent to revere. 

Synchronicity in the East Village where STOMP used to be aside, I do wonder when, if ever, shows like The Big Gay Jamboree will stop being seen as a risk. Maybe they’re only risky for those on the outside of the jokes. 

Luckily, shows like this can help others experience Bareback for themselves. 

The Big Gay Jamboree is now in performance at the Orpheum Theatre. For tickets and more information, visit here.