Joshua Grannell created his drag persona Peaches Christ when most RuPaul Drag Racers were still in diapers. He starred in the Midnight Mass show and performed it for well over a decade with celebrity guest stars like RuPaul and John Waters. After that show closed Grannell continued to come up with cult classics, like the live 9 to 5 parody with Pandora Boxx and Heklina called Work!, opening in Castro this past weekend.
For Chicago audiences Christ will be channeling Rocky Horror in a live performance that will bring out all of the Showgirls for three special nights at The Admiral.
Jerry Nunn: Hi, Joshua. Have you been to Chicago before?
Joshua Grannell: I have back in 2010 when my movie All About Evil that I wrote and directed went on a roadshow across the country to major markets. It was a live event with myself and actress Mink Stole at the Music Box Theatre.
JN: Was it a dream job for you to get to work with people like Mink, who you grew up watching in John Waters' films?
JG: Yeah, it is a dream now but it was not an overnight success. I went from college in 1996 and moved to San Francisco where I was broke, had no job, and no place to live. It has been a struggle. I like to point that out to students and the younger queens [laughs]! There wasn't a TV show where you could go on and become famous overnight. I think I learned my hard lessons over a period of time. I had a job where I ran a movie theater and lived hand to mouth. Drag was a hobby and the creation of Peaches Christ as a character was a passion project that ended up leading to a career. The gifts that Peaches has given me I never could have imagined.
JN: What will this show be like in Chicago?
JG: Oh my god, I don't think there will be anything quite like it! Tim, the entertainment manager at The Admiral, actually came to that Music Box show. We have the same love of cult movies and B cinema. If I hadn't gone to Chicago I wouldn't have been asked to come to this gentlemen's club. It may be one of the strangest events in my career. Just when you think you have done it all! I will be on stage with strippers, dancers and R.G.s ( real girls ) who will be taking their clothes off. There is not a lot of crossover between the stripper community and the drag community. There is so much similarity and they are united in places like Seattle. We have plenty in common.
JN: You should bring your show Work! about the movie 9 to 5 on tour here.
JG: I would love to. I did a parody with Jinkx Monsoon called Return to Grey Gardens. With that one you don't need a big fancy set and big cast so we want to take it on the road. Chicago is on our shortlist for that one.
JN: Do people confuse you with Peaches the singer?
JG: Oh yeah. Of course I like to point out that I came first but she did turn out more famous. I love her and we have worked together a bunch. I have introduced her when she comes to the West Coast. It wasn't too bad until she did her tour of Peaches Christ Superstar and the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. People were buying tickets and confused. It was also the exact same year that we were on tour so our teams had to work things out.
JN: What is coming up for you in 2014?
JG: I always do a collaboration with SF Sketchfest. It is the largest sketch festival in North America. I did a big event with Cloris Leachman. I have something fantastic happening at the end of January but I can't announce it yet.
Three hot dates at the Admiral, 3940 W. Lawrence Ave., to see Peaches are December 5, 6, and 7, with Film Strip A-Go-Go at 8:00 p.m.
Pray for more Christ at peacheschrist.com .
