Latest news with #JinkxMonsoon
Forbes
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
How Jinkx Monsoon Redefines Broadway On Her Own Terms
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 16: Jinkx Monsoon attends the 2025 Drama League Awards at The Ziegfeld ... More Ballroom on May 16, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Valerie Terranova/FilmMagic) With Pride month only a couple days away, we're reminded of queer visibility across platforms and industries. Broadway is leading the charge with some of the most beloved alumnae of 'RuPaul's Drag Race.' Despite not winning the nomination, Jinkx Monsoon's eligibility for her role in 'Pirates! The Penzance Musical,' as an actress in a featured role in a musical category, was nothing short of historic. While drag queens and even other contestants on Drag Race have been featured on Broadway for years, with Jinkx even having a historic run as Mama Morton in 'Chicago' in 2023, this marked the first time that a drag queen was ever considered in a gendered acting category. Before Jinkx had her Broadway debut on Chicago, Peppermint, who competed and landed in the top four of season 9 of Drag Race, helped set the stage for her eligibility by being a trailblazer as the first openly trans woman to originate a principal Broadway role as Pythio in the Go Go's jukebox musical 'Head Over Heels' in 2018. This was historic, not only for her role being central to the show, but due to Peppermint proving that trans people were talented enough to be leads and not just in the chorus. SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 18: Cast members salute the audience during the curtain call for the ... More pre-Broadway engagement of "Head Over Heels" at the Curran Theatre on April 18, 2018 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by) In the past, people have debated on what roles gender non-conforming actors should be nominated for, and for Jinkx, a trans-femme nonbinary person, to considered for a tony nomination in the 'actress in a featured role' category, a category that reflects her identity, is already a huge deal. So often, institutions and voting boards have struggled to accommodate and reflect actors that exist outside of being cisgender or binary. Her seriously being considered alongside cisgender actresses serves as proof that gender expansive and non-conforming actors can and do co-exist in categories that have already been established. There doesn't need to be a complete overhaul of the awards or how they're delved out, gender trans and gender expansive people can exist right inside of those categories and there doesn't have to be any compromise or watering down of who they are to do it. There have been trans, genderfluid, and even gender non-conforming actors that have been nominated and even won Tony nominations, like with Alex Newell for their role in 'Shucked,' and L Morgan Lee for her role in 'A Strange Loop,' Jinkx places herself in a long list of performers that are setting a new standard for what it means to be trans and even a drag queen in the spotlight. Jinkx Monsoon and Peppermint show that trans and gender non-conforming people don't need separate systems or categories to showcase their talent. They serve as a reminder that existing as your authentic self not only serves as its own reward, but it also allows other people to take notice and feel inspired. While neither of them may have Tony nominations at the moment, they show that authenticity and visibility can serve as their reward and legacy. This is only the beginning for trans people on Broadway, and there's sure to be even opportunities for nominations for actresses like Jinkx in the future.
Cision Canada
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Cision Canada
Pre-Registration and Pre-Order Now Open for RuPaul's Drag Race Match Queen! Unlock Exclusive Rewards with the Community Challenge!
VANCOUVER, BC, April 24, 2025 /CNW/ - Following the success of RuPaul's Drag Race Superstar, East Side Games Group (ESGG) is excited to announce its next collaboration with the Emmy-winning World of Wonder: RuPaul's Drag Race Match Queen! This anticipated match-3 mobile game focuses on the fashion-forward world of drag, offering a fun and accessible experience for players of all skill levels. To celebrate, we're inviting players to join the Community Rewards Challenge, where the entire community wins together. As more fans pre-register or pre-order, milestone rewards will be unlocked for everyone, including a FREE ultra-exclusive outfit available to participating players at launch. Pre-register on Google Play or Pre-order on the App Store HERE to be among the first to experience the fabulousness! Key Features: Iconic Queens: Collect fabulous fashion pieces inspired by RuPaul and your favorite Drag Race queens—Jinkx Monsoon, Envy Peru, Jimbo, Kim Chi and many more—and flaunt your unique looks! Toot & Boot: Put your best drag forward and vote for the most iconic outfits in a fierce fashion competition. Ultimate Ru-wards: Unlock a treasure trove of outfits and accessories as you progress, aiming to complete your stunning collection! Compete and Conquer: Flex your puzzle-solving skills while werk-ing the runway in gag-worthy lewks! Glamorous Gameplay: Experience challenging puzzles with a fabulous drag twist, ensuring non-stop entertainment! Fabulous Updates: Regular launches of new queens, themed events, and fresh challenges that keep you runway-ready! Sign up for our newsletter HERE to stay in the loop about the launch date, Community Rewards Challenge, and more! ABOUT EAST SIDE GAMES GROUP ESGG is a leader in free-to-play mobile gaming, thrilling players with unforgettable experiences that spark lifelong fandom. Fueled by an entrepreneurial spirit, we are driven by creativity, flawless execution, and a laser-focused growth strategy. We develop and publish both original and licensed IP titles, license our cutting-edge GameKit(s) platforms, and strategically acquire studios or games to expand our family. Headquartered in Vancouver with around 120 talent dense team members, we operate over a dozen titles under East Side Games ("ESG") and LDRLY (Technologies) Inc. ("LDRLY"). Together, we're crafting, launching, and publishing mobile games across our own studios and an extended Game Kit partner network—reaching players on iOS and Android worldwide. We power our success through in-app purchases ("IAP")—offering exclusive, game-enhancing virtual items—and in-game advertising. To keep growing, we focus on captivating audiences, keeping them engaged, and unlocking exciting new ways to monetize. We'll drive this momentum by launching bold new titles, enriching our current lineup, innovating discovery, expanding into fresh markets and exploring new distribution platforms. Additional information about the Company continues to be available under its legal name, East Side Games Group Inc., at ABOUT WORLD OF WONDER World of Wonder (WOW) has reshaped international pop culture, earning 33 Emmys, inspiring two Oscars, creating global network WOW Presents Plus across 190 territories, and bringing drag culture to the world stage via RuPaul's Drag Race and DragCon. SVOD WOW Presents Plus, the exclusive home to the global Drag Race franchise and hundreds of WOW Original series, saw 35M hours of content watched in 2023 with 77% subscriber growth in the same year. WOW's pioneering television portfolio includes other smash-hit franchises like Million Dollar Listing. Their film division WOW Docs produces groundbreaking documentaries including Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures, Party Monster, and The Eyes of Tammy Faye. WOW also operates YouTube channel WOWPresents, music label World of Wonder Records, the WOW Podcast Network, and year-round international live events. Co-founders Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato have been profiled in Variety's Reality TV Impact Report and Hollywood Reporter 's Most Powerful Producers in Unscripted. Honors for their trailblazing work include the IDA Pioneer Award, Realscreen's Global 100 list, Banff's Impact Award, and the OUT 100. In 2022, World of Wonder was ranked #2 among film and TV powerhouses in Fast Company's World's 50 Most Innovative Companies. ABOUT FUNKITRON Founded in 2004 by industry veteran David Walls, Funkitron, Inc. is a leading casual game company specializing in free-to-play mobile games. Funkitron has a track record of creating innovative games like Cascade and Candy Prize, and collaborating with top brands like Scrabble and Slingo. Their latest hit game is Bud Farm Munchie Match, showcasing Funkitron's continued success in the gaming industry and their expertise in the match 3 genre. Forward-looking Information Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements, which reflect the expectations of management regarding the proposed transactions described herein. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions regarding the future. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance, or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. These forward-looking statements reflect management's current views and are based on certain expectations, estimates, and assumptions that may prove to be incorrect. A number of risks and uncertainties could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including factors beyond the Company's control. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release. SOURCE East Side Games Group Inc.
