Hot Flashbacks at Music Box

"Hot Flashbacks": The Golden Gays™ Return to Cleveland for a Hilarious Musical Journey

Join Dorothy, Blanche, and Rose as They Search for Sophia in this Side-Splitting Drag Parody

Cleveland, OH - June 30, 2023: Get ready for an evening of laughter, music, and nostalgia as The Golden Gays™ bring their original musical "Hot Flashbacks" back to the Music Box Supper Club. This highly anticipated performance by the drag trio, consisting of Gerry Mastrolia as "The Rose," Jason Bea Schmidt as "The Dorothy," and Christopher Eklund as "The Blanche," promises to be an unforgettable experience.

Hailing from North Jersey, Gerry Mastrolia has been entertaining audiences since the tender age of three. With a background in musical theatre, Mastrolia's performances in shows like "Hairspray" and "Seussical" have garnered him recognition and praise. His charismatic portrayal of "The Rose" captivates audiences with his talent, wit, and infectious energy.

Jason Bea Schmidt, known as the world's premier Bea Arthur impersonator, has made a name for himself as an actor, voice-over talent, and founding member of The Golden Gays™. Schmidt's journey with The Golden Girls began with "Thank You for Being a Friend: The Musical" and continued with his one-woman show "Beatrice Arthur: Astral Dame." With his uncanny resemblance to Bea Arthur and a wealth of experience in off-Broadway, cabaret, and comedy clubs, Schmidt brings Dorothy Zbornak to life in a way that will leave you in awe.

Christopher Eklund, as "The Blanche," adds a touch of flirtatious charm and elegance to The Golden Gays™. His deep admiration for The Golden Girls, combined with his impressive theatrical credits, including performances opposite RuPaul's Drag Race season 7 queen Mrs. Kasha Davis, make Eklund an exceptional addition to the drag troupe. Eklund's talent and ability to capture the essence of Blanche Devereaux shine through in every performance.

Originally created in 2017 by Andy Crosten, Gerry Mastrolia, Jason B. Schmidt, and Mason Griffin, The Golden Gays™ set out to bring their vision of Golden Girls musicals to the stage. Since their inception, the group has delighted audiences across the nation with their hilarious and heartfelt performances.

The Golden Gays™ burst onto the scene in the summer of 2017, captivating audiences at RuPaul's DragCon NYC and the famed Rue-La-Rue Cafe in Washington Heights, New York. Their sold-out engagements Off-Broadway at Theatre Row, The Laurie Beechman Theatre, and The Duplex, as well as their regional performances in Asbury Park, Cleveland, and Provincetown, MA, solidified their reputation as a must-see act. Their dedicated fan base, lovingly referred to as the #FriendsOfClayton, continues to grow with each new show.

"Hot Flashbacks," the side-splitting musical adventure, takes Dorothy, Blanche, and Rose on a quest to find the missing Sophia Petrillo. Through a series of hilarious "hot flashbacks," the audience is treated to The Golden Girls' most memorable moments. As an added interactive element, lucky audience members known as "#TokenSophias" have the opportunity to join the bosom buddies on stage and become part of the performance.

The Music Box Supper Club in Cleveland provides the perfect setting for this uproarious journey. Known for its vibrant atmosphere and top-notch entertainment, the venue offers an intimate and immersive experience for fans of The Golden Girls.

Don't miss your chance to join The Golden Gays™ as

 they search for Sophia and take you on a musical rollercoaster ride. With live singing, dancing, and their unique brand of humor, this drag parody is a treat for fans old and new. As the girls say, "Toto, we're not in Miami anymore, sugar!"

For tickets and more information, visit The Golden Gays™ website at www.thegoldengays.net. Secure your seats today and get ready to laugh, sing, and reminisce with The Golden Gays™ in "Hot Flashbacks."

I need an article to submit to BroadwayWorld for The Golden Gays Original Musical “Hot Flashbacks”. This should be a long article.

The drag trio is excited to return to the Music Box Supper Club in Cleveland on Friday, June 30, 2023! 

The Golden Gays™ are 3 drag queens, performing as The Golden Girls.  They are:

Gerry Mastrolia, (Marketing) "The Rose", hails from North Jersey, where he began entertaining at the age of 3 with Three Stooges routines in his living room. At age 9, Gerry was introduced to the merry world of musical theatre, where some of his favorite roles include Edna (Hairspray), Horton (Seussical), Lord Farquaad (Shrek), and Jeff (Title Of Show). He began professionally working in New York at 18 and was seen on CBS & E! News for his work in the off-Broadway show Totally Tubular Time Machine starring Debbie Gibson. Shortly after, he created and starred in his debut solo cabaret show, Very Gerry, which played famous cabaret clubs like Don’t Tell Mama, the Metropolitan Room, and Paul Colby’s The Bitter End. Since then, Gerry has hosted, starred in, and created many cabaret performances in New York and all over the tri-state area. He’s toured with Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding and is currently working on his solo Impersonation show Legendary Divas, Kiss My Sass, paying homage to the divas of Old Hollywood. Endless love and gratitude to his family, friends and mentors for their love and support. "If I can make people smile, then I've served my purpose for God". -Red Skelton. www.GerryMastrolia.com

Jason Bea Schmidt, (Producer) The Dorothy. Jason is the world's premier Bea Arthur impersonator. He lives in Philadelphia with his husband, poodle and shih tzu. He’s an actor, voice-over talent, and founding member of the hilarious drag troupe the Golden Gays™! His Golden Girls journey began with “Thank You for Being a Friend: The Musical” spurning his one “woman” show “Beatrice Arthur: Astral Dame”, and then spurning the Golden Gays™. What’s next? Golden Girls: Infinity Wars?! He has worked alongside drag legends Joey Arias, Sherry Vine, Flotilla DeBarge, and Lady Bunny in his extensive off-Broadway, Cabaret, and Comedy Club credits.  www.JasonBSchmidt.com

and

Christopher Eklund, (Cast Member) The Blanche, is absolutely tickled blush and bashful to be a part of  The Golden Gays™ as The Blanche. He has been enraptured with these fabulous women since a very young age and had seen every single episode of The Golden Girls long before puberty. Previous theatrical credits include The Little Mermaid (Ensemble U/S), Guys & Dolls (Nathan Detroit), Chess (Freddie Trumper) and The Producers (Carmen Ghia) opposite RuPaul’s Drag Race season 7 queen, Mrs. Kasha Davis. Follow him at @christophereklund88 on Instagram and @christyler1288 on Twitter.

Originally created by Andy Crosten, Gerry Mastrolia, Jason B. Schmidt and Mason Griffin in 2017, the Golden Gays NYC set out to create Golden Girls Musicals they would want to see on stage! The current company, now known as The Golden Gays™ continues to bring the original creators' dream to fruition.

The hilarious camp troupe, the Golden Gays™ NYC, burst onto the scene in the Summer of 2017. They first appeared at RuPaul's DragCon NYC 2017 and then at the famed Rue-La-Rue Cafe in Washington Heights, New York. Then, they performed sold-out engagements Off-Broadway at Theatre Row, The Laurie Beechman Theatre, and The Duplex, and regionally in Asbury Park, NJ,  The Music Box Supper Club in Cleveland, and The Pilgrim House in Provincetown, MA. The Golden Gays™ garnered a loyal and loving fan base  which they call the #FriendsOfClayton.

In Spring 2018, they set their sights beyond Broadway and took their first Golden Girls Musical Revue “Hot Flashbacks” on a mini-tour to Pittsburgh - PA, Cumberland - MD, Baltimore - MD, and Asbury Park - NJ, solidifying themselves as the toast of the Northeast.

At RuPaul’s DragCon in the Fall of 2018 (their 2nd appearance), GGNYC partnered with Golden Girls merchandise aficionado Heck Yes Ya'll, spreading the Golden Girls love and dressing up gaggles of #TokenSophias along the way. They even sang live on the main stage with an introduction by Mrs. Kasha Davis!

“It’s like a drag barbershop trio, Pitch Perfect, and the Hallmark Channel got together to put on a show!”

Later, in December 2018, GGNYC hit the road again with a brand new holiday musical “Thank YULE for Being a Friend,” returning to their newfound homes away from home in Pittsburgh, Cumberland, Baltimore, and Asbury Park, picking up New Hope, PA along the way.

In 2019, GGNYC played Rochester, NY and premiered their musical game show "The Golden Games" during the summer of 2019 with Mrs. Kasha Davis and Aggy Dune. Additionally, during the Summer of 2019 they performed on the maiden voyage of VACAYA's Provincetown Cruise from NYC to St. John - New Brunswick, Bar Harbor - Maine and finally Provincetown - MA. In the Fall 2019, The Golden Gays™ did a Midwest tour of their show “Hot Flashbacks” in Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh - another smash success with sell outs across the board!

“Thank YULE for Being a Friend” premiered in Provincetown, MA in November 2019 before playing Asbury Park, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Cumberland, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and NYC, followed by a two-week run in Fort Lauderdale. The holiday tour concluded at the beautiful Hackensack Performing Arts Center in Hackensack, NJ.

2020 featured the Dallas premiere at the Virgin Hotel, both of the inaugural Golden Fans at Sea cruises with Flip Phone Events, the virtual debut of “Hot Flashbacks” on StageIT, weekly live shows on Facebook, the virtual "tour" of “Thank YULE for Being a Friend” on Stellar Tickets, and the premiere of their Ruth Wallis-inspired cabaret, “Queer Things” - all during a global pandemic!

2021 was the year GG™ returned to the stage! Mostly! Sort of! Jason's one woman Bea Arthur show "Beatrice Arthur: Astral Dame" premiered in South Florida at Empire Stage and Gerry was the special guest star. The Golden Gays™ played every Pride celebration they could. They played Bridgeport CT, Peabody MA and Rehoboth Beach DE - all for the first time! They embarked on the longest and most intricate tour of Thank YULE for Being a Friend to date including a two week sit-down in Wilton Manors, FL at Island City Stage.

2022 marked the third Golden Fans at Sea cruise, the premieres of "Legendary Divas," "Betty & Bea Against Humanity" and "Ring Ring, it's the Libertine Belle - Murder Musical!" The GG™ toured with their hit game show, "The Golden Games" which  showcased the talents of the new cast member Christopher Eklund as The Blanche! They attended the first ever Golden-Con in Chicago again with their pals Flip Phone Events, Celebrity Cruises and Dream Vacations. In addition to all of their usual tour spots, they added: Madison - NJ, Camp Hill - PA, Scranton - PA, Syracuse - NY, and Worcester - MA!

New Years Eve 2022 was their premiere in Atlanta at the queer venue Metropolitan Studios!

In early 2023, The Golden Gays™ took their hit Off-Broadway musical "Hot Flashbacks" to Chattanooga - TN  and Las Vegas - NV and then returned to Golden-Con in Chicago and the Golden Fans at Sea cruise.

Part of their schtick is that Sophia Petrillo has gone missing and they need to find her.  Along the way, they find "#TokenSophia's" in their audience and invite them onstage as part of the performance.  

Why you should see this show…

The Golden Girls musical drag parody for the NEW generation. The girls you love, like you’ve never seen them before. Live singing, dancing, schmacting! Oh my!

Picture it: Cleveland, June 2023.
Sophia Petrillo has gone missing! Your favorite pals and confidants Dorothy, Blanche, and Rose must travel down the road and back again across America to find her. Could she be at the Rusty Anchor? Or right in their kitchen on Richmond Street? Through a series of hilarious “hot flashbacks,” these hip old grannies take you on a musical journey through The Golden Girls’ favorite moments to find their Ma! One lucky audience member may even have a chance to make their stage debut with the bosom buddies and become the next #TokenSophia. Live singing! Dancing! Bears! Oh My! Toto, we’re not in Miami anymore, sugar. 

For tickets and more information, visit The Golden Gay™ website: www.thegoldengays.net