Interview: Marti Gould Fuses Theater and Drag in STAGE FRIGHT at The Red Eye NY

Stage Fright, hosted by OUT 100’s Marti Gould Cummings with Drama Desk-nominee Yaz Fukuoka on the keys, will return to the queer nightclub Red Eye NY this year, starting on January 8 with singer-actress Ana Villafañe and continuing every Wednesday at 10 pm with guests Adam Pascal, Jimbo, John Cardoza, Mandy Gonzalez, Tamika Lawrence, and more to be announced.

Host Marti Gould Cummings is an NYC Drag staple. Marti has been featured in Vogue, W Magazine, Paper Magazine, Time OUT NY, The NY Times, among others as well as on Good Morning America, The View, and Inside Edition. They produced and starred in the number one-rated Fusion Television Docuseries Shade Queens of NYC, hosted their own talk show, The Marti Report on Logo, Worst Cooks in America, Hulu’s Drag Me to Dinner, The X Change Rate, and Dragged for Yahoo! Marti has appeared in ad campaigns for COACH, McDonalds, Brooklyn Brewery, and Steve Madden. They currently serve as a performer and cruise director for Vacaya LGBTQ Travel.

We spoke about the origins of Stage Fright, and Gould's upcoming plans for the show.

What are you most looking forward to about the upcoming 10th season of Stage Fright?

Over the past decade we have welcomed hundreds of guests. Oscar nominees, Tony, Emmy, Grammy-nominated and winning stars. Broadway performers of all ranges from the hard-working ensemble and understudies to some of Broadway's biggest names. It's such an incredible honor to have this platform, and as we enter a new year, I'm excited to continue to fuse together theatre with drag and to be able to offer an accessible way for people to be entertained by Broadway. Theatre is so incredibly expensive and to be able to offer a free show is incredible. I look forward to continuing this trajectory.

Tell me a bit about what you have planned for the series this year

We are really coming in strong with guests like Mandy Gonzalez, Adam Pascal, Jimbo, Ana Villafane, Tamika Lawrence, John Cardozo. These are some of Broadway's biggest names! This year we are bringing the heat. Through the year we will also be featuring some rising stars and talent you may not have heard of yet. Pairing them with our guest. It's important to uplift artists at every level of their career, and I'm excited to be able to have these guests and newcomers on stage together, working with one another. I am constantly learning and taking in the great talents on our stage to not only entertain our audience, but for me I learn and grow as an artist through them. 

What was the initial inspiration for the show?

Growing up I watched “The Rosie O'Donnell Show” religiously and loved her style of interviewing guests, playing games with them and the audience, and having Broadway such an integral part of the show. This is my drag homage to her and that show. I'd love to have her as a guest!

Over the past decade of doing the show, can you share one or two of your favorite moments so far? 

Having Ann Reinking a few months before her passing was such a special moment. She shared stories of her career, sang and answered questions from our audience. She's a Broadway legend. We use that word a lot, but she really was. That was such a bucket list WOW moment. We have also had so many original cast members of RENT – Daphne Rubin Vega, Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp – and having grown up on that cast recording and getting to sing those songs with them was truly magical. Also, having Billy Porter, who is a friend, come and vibe and sing from his album was incredibly cool. I mean, there are so many moments! Fran Drescher!!! Like what!?! Carolee Carmello and Beth Leavel on the same night!? Bebe Neuwirth singing “When You’re Good to Mama” with me. My dear friend Bob the Drag Queen! Alex Newell being a guest multiple times. Alice Ripley singing “Sunset Boulevard” and gifting me a dress on stage. Eden Espinosa coming multiple times and sharing laughs and song. God, there are so many moments and so many I haven't even named here because there are just too many!

Who should come see this season of Stage Fright?

Everyone! If you love theatre, if you love drag, this is the show for you – and it's FREE!

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