Ah, Valentine’s Day! That frigid day in February where everything becomes warmer when we come together with our cherished partner(s) to celebrate romance, desire, and above all else that grand epic feeling, love. Many romantic partners spend the day making reservations for fine dinners, picking luxurious bouquets of flowers, or contributing to 58% of chocolate companies’ annual sales to make their sweethearts’ hearts skip a few beats. This cherished annual date night has a long history of being gifted with great expectations and fantastic surprises for all those who love. This year, however, our sweet Valentine’s Day was blessed into transcendence (literally) through the sacredly magical performance of Jinkx Monsoon’s Carnegie Hall debut.
Jinkx Monsoon, the award-winning actress, drag artist, comedian, chanteuse, international sensation, and witch, is so talented and multi-faceted that one could easily envision her entertaining the 2,804-strong audience of Carnegie’s Stern Hall, needing nothing more than herself and a piano. So upon entering the splendid auditorium I was pleased to see two opposing facing grand pianos and an intimate orchestra, boldly stating that this was to be an evening of abundance.
Excited conversations and pulses of anticipated joy filled the sold-out house, which only swelled further as Jinkx floated onto the stage in a beautiful black shimmering garment, fitting for the best of grand dames who have graced these boards. Jinkx soothed the room into submission before launching into her opening song. Instantly we were delighted to see the classic Jinkx Monsoon melt our hearts with her beautiful voice, witty banter, and overflowing heap of double entendre and innuendo for which she is so adored. She let us know that this evening would be witchy and celebrate more Lupercalia vibes, a pagan holiday celebrating fertility, rather than the typical V’tines Day experience. In Act Two she doubled down when she appeared in her second look, a stunning red velvet dress accessorized with a matching witch’s hat. Clearly, this was not to be business as usual at Carnegie Hall.
New York’s storied venue has a long history of hosting gender-nonconforming and queer artists who have risen to the occasion to claim representation on its prestigious stage, but tonight it was Jinkx’s turn to bewitch the space. Co-written by Jinkx and BenDeLaCreme, director of this performance and long-time collaborator, the evening’s performance was beautifully crafted to showcase Jinkx’s talents while creating an inclusive communal event for its predominantly queer audience. Jinkx Monsoon, in all her varied talents, has one that shines above all else: love. Though this show was centered around Jinkx, she guided the evening as a collaborative storyteller with her fellow musicians and special guests to deliver some truly captivating moments. Jinkx masterfully handled the audience as if we were old friends that needed a loving touch.
The connection and focus Jinkx had with the orchestra throughout the night, led by Music Director Will Van Dyke, showed great respect and appreciation for her fellow artists; sometimes showing an expression of graceful awe over her face as she admired them. Jinkx’s longtime music director and composer, Major Scales, made a special appearance for a few songs, bringing laughter and entertaining duets such as a “Mad World” mashup and an original Major Scales composition, “A Song to Come Home To”. We were even visited for an official Wiccan blessing by writer, curator, and teacher of magical practice and history, Pam Grossman. Witnessing the audience participate in this moment brought such a needed peace over the room and allowed a collective breath for us to come together as one. As if spelled into existence, with each passing moment the production became less about the standardized tropes of romantic love or sex and evolved into activating our collective queer power and magic to come together to celebrate and protect each other at a time when our LGBTQ+ community is being targeted and feels so threatened.
Perhaps the most beautiful moment of the evening was Jinkx’s rendition of “The Lavender Song” mashed up with “We Can’t Stop” by Miley Cyrus, becoming a message of perseverance. “The Lavender Song” is considered one of the first queer anthems, written in a time when queer liberation was rising post-World War I, only to be smashed down again in World War II. “The Lavender Song”, or “Das lila Lied” in its original German, represents the defiance of queer people against their oppressors. Jinkx in all her magic delivered an eerily masterful performance of this anthem, creating a defiant act against the attacks on trans and queer people in this country whose identities are being erased from federal institutions. Other iconic moments included Jinkx’s return to her role as Audrey from her Off-Broadway run in Little Shop of Horrors, to sing “Somewhere That’s Green,” and her libido-inducing version of “A Call from the Vatican,” from the musical Nine. Jinkx delivered a well-rounded evening of eclectic song styles encompassing blues, jazz, showtunes, torch songs, and rock, proving that she has a place in every genre of music.
It turns out that Jinkx’s Carnegie Hall debut performance was the enchantment needed this Valentine’s Day. Jinkx Monsoon is magic itself, should be experienced often, and with great love. She charmed our hearts, made us feel secure, appreciated, and most importantly, powerful. This performance was not just a concert, but a summoning of queer ancestry, to collectively embrace the power we need for what is to come.
By Justin Ivan Brown, aka “DaddyHo”
Jinkx Monsoon will star in Roundabout Theatre Company’s production of Pirates! The Penzance Musical running April 4th – June 22nd, 2025 at Broadway’s Todd Haimes Theatre.