"The global 'Drag Race' franchise has turned the act of defying gender norms through polished performance and the excavation of personal hardship into mainstream entertainment. That means there’s plenty of appetite for a show like 'Mister Miss America' — and that it has a lot more to measure up to than a backwater dog and pony show."
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On the surface, Mister Miss America is an up-to-date entertainment packed with references to current It Girls like Taylor Swift, Mandy Moore, Demi Lovato, Kerry Washington, and especially Patti LuPone. In reality, its heart belongs to another decade. A solo show pitched at gay audiences looking for frivolous fun and affirmation, it is, in style and subject matter, like something out of the 1990s. Or '80s. Or maybe the '70s. It is entirely harmless, but humor has a short shelf life and much of what is on offer here has long passed its sell-by date.
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D'Astolfo (that’s duh-STAHL-fo, mkay?), who also wrote the piece, sends Taylor off like a firecracker from the moment he comes onto the stage, speeding through Taylor’s wry and witty dialect so fast, why Mother of Jefferson Davis, he’s passing the fox! D’Astolfo’s dialogue is chock full of delightful West Virginian-isms, gay and regional. Taylor is described in the script as “wide-eyed and winning,” and this definitely describes D'Astolfo in the role. He also adds to the play’s humor in a totally different capacity as the voice of the wry, off-stage announcer and master of ceremonies.
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"Neil D’Astolfo’s 'Mister Miss America' provides many pleasures beyond its nifty title, even though the material treads some pretty familiar ground. ... Under the direction of Tony Speciale, the cheery Taylor first introduces himself and his objective: to become Miss Southwestern Virginia. He not only takes the audience into his confidence, but he assumes an air of familiarity that’s enticing."
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