After six previous sold-out off-Broadway engagements, The Golden Girls Musical Parody: Pride Edition is back in New York for three weeks only, and you'll want to snag your tickets faster than you can say vertubenflugen. Written, directed, and starring Nick Brennan, the LOL parody has been updated with new story elements for World Pride (the girls are preparing for the annual Shady Pines Retirement Home Gay Pride Talent Show just when gay hunk Ricky Martin moves in next door) and features an original pop score. The show runs at HERE Arts Center June 19 through July 6.
Scroll on as BroadwayBox gets to know the talented four drag performers who take on the iconic and beloved senior quartet as we talk favorite episodes and quotes, most-used GIFs, and how they would cast a modern GG remake.
Nick Brennan (Rose Nylund)
1. What was your first memory of falling in love with The Golden Girls?
My mom used to watch it on Saturday nights during its original run when I was a kid and I'd never heard her laugh so hard. Of course, I wanted to like whatever my mom liked, so one Saturday night, I sat down beside her and was hooked.
2. What do you want fans to know about this show? What can we expect?
That it’s a send up, but it's a loving one. We can't and aren't trying to replace the original sitcom...no one can do that. But we are commenting on all the things we love about it while combining that with our love of drag show culture.
3. What was the first thing you did after being cast to create your gal for the stage? What episode did you find most helpful?
It was important for me to get Rose's vocal rhythms down. She has a very specific way she tells a story, or says something that excites her, upsets her. There is a really underrated episode where the girls compete against each other at a bowling tournament where Rose goes through all the emotions you can think of. I would watch it and tape record myself saying the lines with her rhythms to hear what I sounded like and then adjusted if it didn't sound just right.
4. If you could have cheesecake with any Golden Girl, who would you pick and what would you ask about first?
Oh, Betty White of course. I would ask her about my favorite show of all time, The Mary Tyler Moore Show. I mean, what they did on that show is FUNNY, FUNNY STUFF.
5. If you were to make a modern-day Golden Girls, who would you cast?
Ohhh fun! Fran Drescher, Christine Baranski, Catherine O'Hara and Cloris Leachman. Four brilliant comediennes who are completely different types.
6. What’s your desert island Golden Girls episode?
It would have to be an episode called "Isn’t It Romatic?" Dorothy's friend from college, Jean, comes to visit and, unbeknownst to everyone else, she is a lesbian. She ends up falling in love with Rose and Blanche gets jealous. Seriously some of the funniest moments in television history! If you haven't seen it, put it on your list!
7. What’s your most-used Golden Girls GIF?
8. What line from your show or the series do you use most in your day-to-day life?
“I feel like crawling under the covers and eating Velveeta right out of the box.”
Joshua Warr (Blanche Devereaux)
1. What was your first memory of falling in love with The Golden Girls?
The Golden Girls has always been around me. I don't remember a specific time I learned of it; I feel like most people in my life tuned into it, so it was always on. It wasn't until I did this show for the first time back in 2016 that I really started appreciating how great this show is. It's truly brilliant and moving television. They were pioneers. They were ahead of their time in so many ways.
2. What do you want fans to know about this show? What can we expect?
This show is CAMP. It's a wild ride through Miami retirement scandals. Ha! The show is a blast—with musical numbers, dance breaks, and a sexy, almost naked Ricky Martin. I mean, come on! You can expect quippy one-liners, dead pans, Rose jokes, Herring pie, amazing costumes, and me, as Blanche, probably trying to get you to take me out on a date in your new convertible.
3. What was the first thing you did after being cast to create your gal for the stage? What episode did you find most helpful?
I've played Blanche a few times now. When I was first cast with this, I was cast as Rose. I threw myself into all sorts of online video research. How she carries her body, how she uses her hands, how she sits, how she speaks, how she laughs. I mean to get it right you have to go deep. But...I was terrible. At the time, we were replacing our Blanche and I asked to read for the role—well, let's just say I didn't need as much research on Blanche to find her. It was the perfect fit, like her men. The rest is history. She sits inside me begging to come out and flirt with older men with money.
4. If you could have cheesecake with any Golden Girl, who would you pick and what would you ask about first?
Betty White. I have always been so obsessed with the story of her originally auditioning for Blanche. I want to see her Blanche audition! She was flawless as Rose, which makes me think her Blanche was perfection, too. No one is Blanche other than Rue, of course, she's a legend. But I love the idea of Betty White as Blanche.
5. If you were to make a modern-day Golden Girls, who would you cast?
Bette Midler—First Wives Club. BAM! Reunion! (She's such a Dorothy)
Goldie Hawn—see above (clearly Blanche)
Diane Keaton—see above (clearly Rose)
Meryl Streep—because she can play any age and be convincing. Have you seen the film of Angels in America!?
6. What’s your desert island Golden Girls episode?
"Yes, We Have No Havanas" for the bath interaction between Blanche and Sophia. Sophia's punch line cracks me up every time.
Blanche:
“Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go take a long, hot, steamy bath with just enough water to barely cover my perky bosoms.”
Sophia:
You're only gonna sit in an inch of water?!
7. What’s your most-used Golden Girls GIF?
8. What line from your show or the series do you use most in your day-to-day life?
Same as my choice of GIF! "God, I wish I was dead."
Robert Hooghkirk (Dorothy Zbornak)
1. What was your first memory of falling in love with The Golden Girls?
When I was in elementary school, my grandmother would watch me until my parents came home from work. It was spending time with her when I first discovered this show. I knew that if I finished my homework, I would get to watch two back-to-back episodes with her. I was transfixed because I could not get over how similar my grandmother and Sophia were. Even to the point where people would comment how much my grandmother reminded them of the character on the show. I had my very own personal Sophia! Only difference...my grandmother was Irish!
2. What do you want fans to know about this show? What can we expect?
Not only does this show have its own trajectory and story line, but it has captured the original heart and soul of the girls. Don't worry, even some classic iconic moments from the show make their way onto the stage.
3. What was the first thing you did after being cast to create your gal for the stage? What episode did you find most helpful?
In addition to the series, what I have found to be most helpful was a CD (what's that??) a friend gave me years ago. It is a live recording of Bea Arthur on Broadway: Just Between Friends. It's just a longer uninterrupted dialogue to help find that tempo, rhythm, and pitch.
4. If you could have cheesecake with any Golden Girl, who would you pick and what would you ask about first?
I'll answer this question two ways: First, I would sit down with Sophia, and ask, "What was Shady Pines really like?" Second, I would ask Bea Arthur, "What other topics, if any, do you wish the series addressed? And if not, would you want to revisit or change anything the show addressed?"
5. If you were to make a modern-day Golden Girls, who would you cast?
This is tough. At the time Golden Girls was daring, original, and literate. It paved the way. Only a year later Designing Women premiered. They invented what would evolve into shows like Sisters, Sex and the City, and Girls among others. I don't know what combination of four I would even choose. Bea, Rue, Betty, and Estelle were lighting in a bottle.
6. What’s your desert island Golden Girls episode?
How could I choose from episodes about chronic fatigue, tropical storms, a Chicken Little musical, a murder mystery party, Sophia's friend contemplating suicide. There are so many. However, one that I will always remember is the episode where Blanche convinces Dorothy to get out of the house. She takes her to her favorite hangout The Rusty Anchor. Dorothy is coerced into singing at the piano, "What'll I Do" and abandons her timid persona to the adoration of the many patrons of the bar. That is a very private moment in Dorothy's life. That transformative switch from person to performer is what resonates the most. Also, I just love her rendition of the song!
7. What’s your most-used Golden Girls GIF?
8. What line from your show or the series do you use most in your day-to-day life?
I have an amazing relationship with my parents, and I would not trade them for the world. However, on those rare occasions, it's nice just to pull out, "Shady Pines, Ma" to get them off your back!
Lavinia Draper (Sophia Petrillo)
1. What was your first memory of falling in love with The Golden Girls?
Watching The Golden Girls with my parents and hearing them laugh. Still to this day, mom and I relax and watch the girls.
2. What do you want fans to know about this show? What can we expect?
The fans can expect to see the girls as they are and always been the best of friends and worst of enemies. We have put the girls in a situation that is campy but the performances are rooted in love and truth to the original characters.
3. What was the first thing you did after being cast to create your gal for the stage? What episode did you find most helpful?
I originated the role of Sophia when Nick first produced it. I like to watch YouTube and study the best of Sophia. To me, it is her dry sense of humor and her amazing ability to land a joke with no effort. My favorite episode is when she is in competition with Blanche for the affections of a man.
4. If you could have cheesecake with any Golden Girl, who would you pick and what would you ask about first?
I would want to sit with Betty White and ask her about her husband Alan, what The Mary Tyler Moore Show was like, and what it’s like to be 90 and rocking. I also would really just like to be a fly on the wall and watch them eat and talk. I would just sit there in awe of their comic genius.
5. If you were to make a modern-day Golden Girls, who would you cast?
Sophia: Andrea Martin; Blanche: Susan Sarandon; Dorothy: Lily Tomlin; Rose: Goldie Hawn.
6. What’s your desert island Golden Girls episode?
Dorothy, Rose, and Blanche's vacation to a tropical island is a complete disaster. Meanwhile, Sophia befriends a Japanese gardener who speaks almost no English.
7. What’s your most-used Golden Girls GIF?
8. What line from your show or the series do you use most in your day-to-day life?
“Picture it…”
Make sure your Pride plans include The Golden Girls Musical Parody: Pride Edition, running at off-Broadway’s HERE Arts Center Theatre June 19-July 6.
