2024 is a big year for "The Golden Girls Live: The Christmas Episodes." The annual drag parody, which began almost two decades ago, will for the first time perform at the Curran Theatre. But the excitement doesn't end there. On December 6, 7, and 8, vocalist Cindy Fee, who sang the iconic theme song "Thank You for Being a Friend," will perform the song live from the Curran stage. The show will open on December 5 and run through December 22.
"The Golden Girls Live" will star a who's who of the drag world. Matthew Martin and Coco Peru will play Blanche and Dorothy respectively, while Holotta Tymes will be seen as Sophia. And the extremely busy D'Arcy Drollinger, who currently serves as San Francisco's Drag Laureate while also owning and operating Oasis, plays the role of Rose. Drollinger couldn't be more excited about having the show move to the Curran and getting Fee to join in.
"As a San Francisco native, it's been a lifelong dream of mine to perform at such an iconic theater," Drollinger said in an interview with the Bay Area Reporter. "The very theater where they filmed 'All About Eve.'"
Drollinger noted that there was a poignancy about the move to the Curran. She recalled her last conversation with the late and beloved Heklina, which took place the day before Heklina passed. Drollinger and Heklina used to produce "The Golden Girls Live" together, and Drollinger had told her friend that she was going to meet with the Curran.
"So of course she is very much on my mind as we prep the show to move into the theater," Drollinger said.
Staying golden
Though Drollinger wouldn't say whether or not she needs to get the rights to the show from "The Golden Girls" copyright holders, she did say that many of the show's creators had seen their productions and loved them. Drollinger feels that they see the live shows as a tribute, a way to keep the original series relevant.
"Not to beat our own drum, but I feel that our show is part of the longevity of the original show," he said. "Don't get me wrong, the original show is amazing. The writing, those four groundbreaking actresses, the costumes, all of it. And it has been in syndication since it ended, which also has a lot to do with it. But our drag tribute to the show lit a fire with audiences and also subsequent productions. There are so many drag 'Golden Girls' shows now happening all around the country. I think that is a big part of its success with new, younger markets."
When the live shows began, the audience consisted primarily of gay men, but the audience has since grown to include straight people, young and old. According to Drollinger, some audience members travel in from out of state to see the show. But like the TV show, the stage version remains particularly popular among gay men.
"Sassy, strong, funny women have always resonated with gay men," Drollinger said. "And those characters, while they loved each other, could throw shade like nobody's business. Exactly why it lends itself to drag, I feel like the gay community is drawn to it."
Drollinger is thrilled to have Fee performing in the show.
"I still can't really believe it's happening," he said. "I had heard she was performing and had a cabaret show, so we reached out to her and she said yes. It's going to be pure magic to hear her sing the theme song live."
Finding family
Fee, who also spoke to B.A.R., had her own views as to why "The Golden Girls" resonates so strongly among gay men.
"I think it's because the show is about finding a family," Fee said. "A sense of belonging. That's certainly something many gay men have had to do throughout the years. It was also very accepting of societal issues of the day, one of the first shows to write about homelessness and to explore and accept sexuality outside of the box."
For many years Fee barely gave a second thought to the fact that she had sung what may be the most famous TV theme song of all time. She was busy raising her children and singing commercial jingles, though she was always aware of the fact that the show's popularity never seemed to wane.
Fee never really talked about what she had done musically, but it was her husband who was always her biggest champion. She recalled an incident at a restaurant in Philadelphia where her husband told a table of rowdy women that she was the singer of "The Golden Girls" theme. She expected them to ask her to sing it, but instead all twelve of them stood up and sang the song to her.
"That was really fun," she said. "Somewhere along the way, through all the years I became aware of how much the show and my contribution to it meant to so many generations of people."
Fee feels that "The Golden Girls" leaves a powerful message and legacy.
"I think that we are, particularly in this country that seems so modern and accepting and as recent elections have shown is anything but, are all looking for a sense of belonging, of acceptance," she said. "Bossy, a bit dumb, clever, sharp witted and a bit of a slut as the characters were written, whatever we identify as, we all deserve love. As the saying goes, especially right now as we face Thanksgiving, with our politically divided families, friends are the family we choose."
'The Golden Girls Live: The Christmas Episodes,' December 5-22, 8pm except Sundays, 2pm, Curran Theatre, 445 Geary Street. $39-$125. Cindy Fee will perform December 6, 7 and 8 only. www.broadwaysf.com
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