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RuPaul's Drag Race

‘RuPaul's Drag Race' star Jan returns to NYC stage in time for Pride before 'All-Stars'

Portrait of Alex Biese Alex Biese
Asbury Park Press

Jan is ready to get Pride started.

The "RuPaul's Drag Race" star is returning to the New York City stage in a big way this week to honor a modern cult classic.

Jan stars in "Jannifer's Body," performance collective the Neon Coven's new hybrid production celebrating the 2009 Megan Fox supernatural horror offering "Jennifer's Body" on on Wednesday, June 30.

A film screening and live show in one, "Jannifer's Body" helps kick off June's observation of LGBTQ Pride Month as live theater returns following more than a year of COVID-19 disruption.

"RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars" Season 6 contestant Jan, who grew up in Old Bridge, will star in the Neon Coven's production "Jannifer's Body" on Wednesday, June 30 at the Radial Park drive-in in Astoria, Queens.

"Not only is it Pride, of course, but I just think in general New York City thrives on performance," said Jan. "And I think that that truly is the heart of the city, whether it be live theater or drag shows or concerts or really anything of the sort.

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"I think it’s so important that we’re out here doing it, giving people something to look forward to, and to entertain the masses in a fun and safe way in this ever-changing, very fast-paced world that we’re entering in right now. To be able to have this fun, queer cult classic be a little kick-off into Pride is so awesome.”

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The one-night-only production directed by Shira Milikowsky will feature a screening of director Karyn Kusama and screenwriter Diablo Cody's "Jennifer's Body," as well as now-nostalgic music from the likes of Avril Lavigne, Panic! At The Disco, Kesha and more. There is also original music from Andrew Barret Cox and Kelly McIntyre.

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“It is a drag show, it is a concert, it is a film screening, it is a theater event — it’s so many things all in one," said Neon Coven co-founder Mark Mauriello, one of the evening's performers. "But ultimately our goal is to put some incredible performers on a stage, let them do their thing and let folks be together and have a great time that feels exciting and uplifting."

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Jan was a scene-stealer last year on the 12th season of "RuPaul's Drag Race" on VH1, and returns to the franchise to contend on the sixth season of "RuPaul's Drag Race All-Stars," debuting Thursday, June 24, on streaming service Paramount+.

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The same month she's back on screen, Jan will be on stage to transform "Jennifer's Body" into one singular Jan-sation.

“‘Jennifer’s Body,’ the movie, is truly one of those movies that I think people don’t understand how influential and how wonderful and how much of a cult classic it really is," said Jan. "And so to be able to take that and honor it and morph it into something that’s so immersive and a wonderful theatrical production that we’re doing, I think is so sick.”

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