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Last night, The Town Hall was transformed into a vivid explosion of drag artistry for Nymphia Wind’s debut NYC show, BANANAS?. The Town Hall, founded in 1921 by suffragists, has hosted historic performances—from Marian Anderson’s New York debut to Langston Hughes’ discussion on how “the Race Question” should be handled in America. Last night, it carved a new chapter into its legacy—ushering in a bold, unapologetic celebration of queer, Asian drag at a moment when visibility matters more than ever.

Fresh off winning season 16 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Taiwanese drag queen Nymphia Wind brought her theatrical vision to the stage at the historic Town Hall. The show highlighted Asian drag voices in both local and international talent. The lineup of supporting performers included drag artists Angel Au, Felicia Oh, Shia Ho, Chiang Weiii, Hibiscus, Draggy Boo Boo, and Hannah Monina, as well as dancers Fiona Tsang, Rio Kikuchi, Jeffrey Pelayo, and Klint Dimpas. Hosted by veteran drag queen Sequida Hall, the evening struck the perfect balance between theatrical spectacle and intimate connection with the community.

Nymphia Wind drew on a rich palette of creative influences—from Peking opera to avant-garde performance artists and pop music icons. The variety of different styles was vividly on display: bold visual art, inventive choreography, awe-inspiring costumes, and moments that veered into the territory of living art installations. The stage even erupted with bananas literally catapulting into the audience. Yes– actual bananas, banana snacks, inflatable bananas, and more. The air was filled with irrepressible queer joy.

Nymphia Wind’s BANANAS? wasn’t just a drag show—it was a fierce proclamation of joy, resilience, and identity. And of course, the show was utterly bananas. 🌈

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Are you a Stranger Things fan? If so, you should definitely check out the Stranger Sings musical! This is a parody off-broadway musical. Recently, they announced the show has been extended through April 30, 2023. You can still grab tickets if you want to check it out!

The Stranger Sings musical is at Playhouse 46 at St. Luke’s (308 W. 46th Street) in NYC. Jonathan Hogue wrote the book, music, and lyrics for the show, and it’s a fun experience. The theatre is on the smaller side, so you don’t have to worry about not being able to see. The way the show is set up has the audience surrounding the stage on all four sides. It’s very immersive! If you’re looking for a serious show, this is not it. It’s very campy and funny. I also don’t think you need to be a Stranger Things fan to enjoy the show, although being a fan definitely helps since you’ll get the references. It might be confusing if you aren’t familiar with Stranger Things (plus there may be spoilers for you!). If you’re worried about being spoiled but have started Stranger Things, you should be good as long as you finished Season 1.

The most surprising thing about this musical is the puppet! The character Will is portrayed by a puppet, performed by Caroline Huerta, the same person who plays Joyce. This was really unique and memorable for me. Some of the other actors also played multiple characters: Kyle Mangold played both Steve and Jonathan, and Harley Seger played both Eleven and Nancy. I was impressed by how quickly Kyle and Harley were able to change wigs and costumes! They were definitely skilled at quick changes.

I don’t want to spoil the show, so I won’t be going into detail about plot and specifics. You’ll have to check it out for yourself!

Here are some of my favorite things about the musical without spoilers:

The music is lively and cute!
They break the fourth wall (which was one of my favorite moments — Winona Ryder deserves an Emmy!)
Also — justice for Barb Holland!!!