Displaying items by tag: variety show

The greatest holiday show south of the North Pole returns for its 9th year with another brand spankin' new wintertide wonder! Award-winning comedy icons, writers, actors, and drag queen powerhouses BenDeLaCreme & Jinkx Monsoon are coming back to town with the wildly successful, internationally acclaimed, The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show (BenDeLaCreme Presents). Directed, produced, and written by BenDeLaCreme, this year's show will tour 30 cities across the U.S. and Canada from November 6 - December 30 in major theaters. 

Tickets are on sale now at JinkxandDeLa.com. VIP Packages, including a photo opportunity with the stars, are only available to purchase separately at JinkxandDeLa.com with proof of ticket purchase.  

Throughout the show's 9-year history, Jinkx and DeLa have met sentient Christmas treats, twisted space-time with Dickensian Ghosts, ventured to the Nutcracker's Land of Sweets, as well as survived immaculate conceptions, A.I., body swaps, and elf attacks. You never know what wild and unexpected sleigh ride these queens have in store. Whatever the twists and turns, fans can expect another year of over-the-top camp spectacle, side-splitting gags, brand new songs, heartfelt storytelling, thrilling dance numbers, and iconic costumes. Hailed by Entertainment Weekly as "the reigning queens of Christmas," this show is not only a moment of respite, but a celebration of community, at a time when we need it most of all.

This year, fans will also get the chance to bring the magic of the Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show home with the forthcoming book, HOW THE QUEENS MADE CHRISTMAS: A Raunchy Holiday Romp for Festive Adults! written by BenDeLaCreme. Publishing on October 20th via Chronicle Books, HOW THE QUEENS MADE CHRISTMAS follows the adventures of the two queens as they find themselves mysteriously trapped in a book with only one way out: together! Through rhyming text and candy-colored illustrations, they spar through the challenge of creating a winning Christmas story—dashing through double entendres and many costume changes along the way. Bright, bawdy, and heartwarming, the book captures the subversive joy of the beloved queer holiday tradition for those who want to experience that very special Jinkx and DeLa cheer any time of year. HOW THE QUEENS MADE CHRISTMAS will include a bonus section of behind-the-scenes photos and lyrics from three of Jinkx and DeLa's singable original songs. Also publishing at the same time, a new book of twelve pop-out hanging ornaments featuring sassy holiday tips and quips to countdown the season in style.

BenDeLaCreme says, "This year marks our 8th touring production, and my relationship with the 'Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show' feels just as fresh as it did when we started back in 2018. It's no easy feat to mount a brand new show every year but we owe it to our audiences who continue to return and bring new folks along the way. For the past 9 years, 'The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show' has given back to us what we hope to give out every holiday season: joy, community, lots of laughter, and a space to uplift each other. I love what I get to do as an entertainer, writer, director, producer, and now author, but it means nothing without the connection we have with our community. That connection is what drives us, and will continue to as we approach next year's 10th anniversary."

Monsoon adds, "Nine years, where does the time go?! You'd think it would feel like a daunting task, but every year, around this time, DeLa and I start getting excited that our time together is coming again. Somehow, every year, our amazing company makes something spectacular that exceeds even our own expectations — then we get to share it with our community at a very meaningful time. What a great way for a witch to spend the solstice."

The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show is written by BenDeLaCreme with additional writing by Jinkx Monsoon, directed by BenDeLaCreme, and produced by BenDeLaCreme Presents (a company comprised of producers BenDeLaCreme, Kevin Heard, Gus Lanza, and Associate Producer Jin Moon). This year's tour marks the dynamic duo's 8th live holiday show production, following the massive success of seven previous holiday tours, and cult-classic holiday film The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Special in 2020. Since its inception, The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show has premiered a brand new show every year – a major achievement for two drag artists who tour annually at this scale.

For more information, visit jinkxanddela.com and follow on Instagram and TikTok. 

December 6 - Chicago, IL – Auditorium Theatre

It’s a truth universally known that the holidays aren’t always a great time for everyone. Holiday traditions and expectations can often leave us feeling emotionally void or overwhelmed, particularly with how bleak 2023 has been for so many. But in every darkness there is joy to be sparked and light to be found, if one is willing to look for it. This holiday season I discovered a shining light in the The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show at Auditorium Theatre. 

The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show is an internationally acclaimed holiday variety show returning to Chicago following the massive success of their previous holiday tours. Co-written, co-created, and starring global drag icons and RuPaul’s Drag Race stars BenDeLaCreme and Jinkx Monsoon, fans braved the winter cold to witness a fabulous spectacle, whip-smart comedy, and creative song parodies embodying and cleverly critiquing holiday traditions. 

The holiday show harkens back to classic comedy variety shows that used to dominate television and stage. Jinkx and DeLa are an iconic and dynamic duo, with quick and witty banter and humor that is conflict free, a rarity in today’s comedic world. Even more impressive is that the show is entirely helmed by the queens themselves, with BenDeLaCreme in the producer and director’s chairs.  Too often, queer and drag stories are written and produced by people outside of the community. The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show and BenDeLaCreme Presents are reminders why authentic queer storytelling is not only necessary but should be widely celebrated. BenDeLaCreme says, “With all the hatred, darkness, and misinformation flying around our world today, it is an honor and a privilege to spend the holidays with tens of thousands of audience members each year, creating joyous community spaces where we can gather strength through laughter and celebration. Whether you consider it the most wonderful time of year or the most troubling, we’re here to tell you… you’re right! So let’s make it our own.” Monsoon adds, “It’s been a wild year, so let’s end it wildly. DeLa and I strive to entertain while we enlighten and enliven. The Jinkx & Dela Holiday Show is not only a moment of respite, but also of community, at a time where we need our chosen family and community most of all. So add us to your holiday plans, or let us BE your holiday plans— either way, you’re welcome to join us.”

The Jinkx & Dela Holiday Show is a shining light within the darkness, and truly a magnificent experience. The Auditorium Theatre audience were loyal followers of Jinkx and DeLa, many having seen their 2023 show in multiple cities on their tour, while others were back for their yearly tradition of seeing the iconic duo perform. In talking with Jinkx and DeLa, we learned this year’s holiday show changed the formula of the variety show, pairing the usual sweet vs. spicy duo as a united front, emphasizing the core message of togetherness and unity amidst an ever divisive and polarizing world. At the end of the show, the stars beseeched the audience to carry the joy, laughter, and love exuded and felt throughout the show out into the dark world; to spark that light within others and be the light so needed in the darkness. With everything that has happened in 2023, and the last few years,  Jinkx and DeLa have channeled their worry, frustration, and anxiety into a beautifully crafted show filled with lightness, and have created an enduring and worthwhile holiday tradition sure to be enjoyed for years to come.

Though the tour only visited Chicago for one night, this show is sure to become a staple in Chicagoland, only growing and getting better with time. One of the prevailing themes of this year’s variety show was that while our traditions anchor us to the holiday season, we can consistently look within ourselves and our communities to create new traditions or adapt and grow our old traditions. And most importantly, if we cannot find a light within the darkness, we ourselves can be the light for those around us. I cannot wait to add The Jinkx & Dela Holiday Show a must-see holiday tradition and I’ll see you all there in 2024.

This year’s tour will run through December 30 across the US, UK, and Canada with the show that proves they’re still the reigning “queens of Christmas'' (Entertainment Weekly). Tickets are available at JinkxandDeLa.com.