The celebrity fashion designer turns his talents to a trailer park.
By Brandon Voss
Dancing beer cans, ugly Christmas sweaters, and Spam — it's all part of the irreverent, over-the-top fantasy in Chris March’s Butt-cracker Suite!, an awesomely costumed holiday dance-comedy that reimagines The Nutcracker in a trailer park. The celebrity fashion designer and Project Runway alum chats about balancing his roles as writer, director, designer, and star of the New York theater production.
Gay.net: How did you come up with the idea for a trailer-trash recreation of The Nutcracker?
Chris March: I came up with the idea after imagining a specific costume — it's now in the show — and tried to figure out what kind of show could feature it. A spoof of The Nutcracker turned out to be perfect! And I wanted to direct the show myself because I have worked in theater for 20 years and I love making people laugh.
Your roots are in costuming for the theater, and you also performed in Christmas With the Crawfords. Are writing and directing new for you — and something you'd like to do more in the future?
I have directed a couple of short plays in the past. I would love for this to be an annual show.
What's been your biggest challenge with this show — the writing, directing, acting, or costuming?
Just balancing it all and the nature of it being temporary. Everything has to come and go quickly to make way for other shows.
Tell me about the character you're playing. Did you give yourself all the funniest bits?
Of course! Clara is a lonely dejected little girl with hopes and dreams like anyone else. She dreams a fantasy world inhabited by what she knows: beer, trash, Spam, pink flamingoes, etc.
Butt-cracker Suite! sounds awesomely campy, but just how gay does it get up in this trailer park?
We are proud to be equal parts gay, straight, campy, and legitimate — especially the amazingly talented dancers!
Gay.net, December 2012.
Photo: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for IMG