When Varla Jean Merman (aka Jeffery Roberson) starred opposite Leslie Jordan this past May at the Little Shubert Theatre, the New York Times wrote "If Carol Burnett and Harvey Korman had stood in front of the right pair of funhouse mirrors, they might have resembled Ms. Merman and Mr. Jordan in stature as well as comedic talent." Roberson will premiere Varla's anticipated, outrageous new show entitled The Book of Merman at The Art House from August 4th through September 17th, featuring Tom Judson on piano. For tickets please visit www.ptownarthouse.com or call 508-487-9222 for information.
After her recent critically acclaimed turn in the ironically titled Off-Broadway flop Lucky Guy and a grueling two-week shoot for her feature film Varla Jean & The Mushroomheads, Varla Jean has decided it is time to write a tell-all! The daffy diva-turned-author's new show is equal parts pop-up book, scratch 'n sniff, and Braille as Varla invites you to see, smell and finger her life story. The Book of Merman is filled cover-to-cover with sizzling songs, raunchy revelations and page-turning costumes. Varla Jean promises once you pick her up, you won't be able to put her down (without a restraining order).
2010
Elliot Norton Award Winner, Roberson's
Varla Jean Merman has been featured on television as a guest on TV's Ugly Betty and on Bravo's Project Runway Season 5 as the winning model for the show's drag challenge. Other TV credits include his network television debut on All My Children in the recurring role of lady of the evening Rosemary Chicken, HBO's Dragtime, E!'s Fashion Emergency, E! Goes to Cannes, MTV's True Life: Mardi Gras, Francesca Page with Rossy DePalma, and has most recently appeared as Varla Jean on Logo starring in shorts for "Drag History Month." He shared the Outfest Film Festival "Best Actor" Award and the Aspen HBO Film Festival "Best Actrees" Award with his costars Jack Poltnick and Clinton Leupp for his featured performance in the cult classic film Girls Will Be Girls (Sundance 2003) directed by
Richard Day. This past January he filled the sequel entitled Girls Will Be Girls 2012. He also played the role of Mary Sunshine in the revival of Chicago on Broadway and appeared at the
Long Wharf Theatre in Hartford Stage's production of The Mystery of Irma Vep directed by
Michael Wilson performing the roles originally made famous by
Charles Ludlam.
Jeffery as Varla Jean has filled concert halls and cabarets across the world including the Sydney Opera House,
Carnegie Hall,
The Public Theater, London's Soho Theatre, LA's Renberg Theatre, and San Francisco's Victoria Theatre. He was the opening act of Vienna's LifeBall, the largest fundraiser for AIDS research in Europe, where he shared the stage with
Sharon Stone and
Catherine Deneuve. His many Fraktured Classiks productions in New York include The Mailman Always Comes Twice, Screen Door and CAGED! with
Lily Tomlin,
Joan Rivers and
Isabella Rossellini, Lypsinka is Harriet Craig, The Miracle Worker (with
Charles Busch) and
Varla Jean Merman is The Bad Seedling. Recent engagements also include the title role in Auntie Mame, Scrooge in Rouge,
Ricky Graham's production of Irma Vep at Southern Rep/Le Chat Noir, and his most recent solo show Varla Jean's The Loose Chanteuse featuring
Tom Judson, which ran in Provincetown, LA, New York and New Orleans.
The Art House
214 Commercial Street
Provincetown, MA 02657
For Tickets visit www.ptownarthouse.com
Box office is open daily for in-person ticketing:
For box office hours and information call 508-487-9222.
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