by Jody Tuso-Key; Managing Editor

Out Front Theatre is currently serving up the premiere of LICKED: FOR GAY, and if you’ve ever watched WICKED and thought, “This needs more drag queens, more lesbians, and significantly fewer heterosexual explanations,” then congratulations—your prayers have been answered. Written by drag royalty Ginger Minj and Tyler Scott, this delightfully deranged parody takes the familiar world of Oz, tosses it into a blender with drag culture, queer humor, pop culture references, and enough innuendo to make the Wizard himself clutch his pearls.

The premise is gloriously unhinged. Set inside the Ozdust Barroom, a delightfully tipsy Glinda recounts the scandalous truth behind her relationship with Elphaba, revealing a version of Oz where the subtext has finally become text and absolutely nobody is interested in behaving themselves. What follows is a rapid-fire, Ariana Grande-infused barrage of jokes, camp, drag, and queer chaos that lands somewhere between Wicked, a drag brunch, and the group chat your prudy friends aren’t allowed to see.

The cast attacks the material with fearless enthusiasm. Every performer understands the assignment: go big, go bold, and if there’s a choice between subtlety and absurdity, choose absurdity every single time. The result feels less like traditional theatre and more like being invited to the world’s funniest after-party. The comedy arrives at a relentless pace, with references flying so quickly that missing one hardly matters because another is already headed your way at broomstick speed.

GLINDA – Ginger Minj not only conceived this story, she turns it on its perfectly coiffed blonde head with wonderliferous wit and deliciously wicked innuendo. A master improviser, Minj gleefully plays off the audience, unexpected mishaps, and anything else that wanders into her orbit, ensuring that no two performances are exactly alike. Every show bursts the bubble of on-script expectation. Vocally, she’s pure gold—an octave lower than the original source material perhaps, but every bit as enchanting. Her Glinda remains true to form: desperately committed to being adored by all of Oz, even when it means being spectacularly untrue to herself.

ELPHABA – Jujubee is an enchantifying Elphaba who materializes throughout Glinda’s increasingly questionable retelling of events. Possessing the voice, poise, and conviction of a true revolutionary, she makes a compelling case for equality, justice, and freeing the Animals. Yet beneath the green exterior lies a woman increasingly frustrated by Glinda’s inability to step out of the closet and into her own truth. Jujubee balances heart and hilarity beautifully, grounding the chaos whenever the broom threatens to fly off course.

FANNY – Tugboat brings a healthy dose of Atlanta flair to the production as the Ozdust bartender. Serving as the show’s exasperated voice of reason, he spends much of the evening reacting to Glinda’s antics and fighting valiantly to maintain composure when Ginger Minj launches into an improvised detour. Tugboat’s timing is impeccable, and his chemistry with Minj keeps the comedy bubbling. He’s the perfect tether, preventing Glinda from floating away like a county fair hot-air balloon filled entirely with ego and champagne.

DOUG serves as the audience’s representative; an ethereal voice occasionally interjecting with observations and questions that are met with varying degrees of patience from Fanny and Glinda. He lands several memorable zingers before being firmly instructed to knock it off—usually by Fanny and generally with more colorful language than can be repeated in a family publication.

What makes LICKED: FOR GAY work isn’t simply the outrageous humor. Beneath the rhinestones, wigs, sequins, and wonderfully questionable life choices lies a genuine affection for the source material. This isn’t a parody created by people taking potshots from afar; it’s the work of artists who know Wicked inside and out and love it enough to lovingly roast it over an open flame. The jokes may be filthy, but the craftsmanship behind them is surprisingly sharp.

The production also understands one of drag’s greatest strengths: using humor to celebrate identity while building community. The show gleefully embraces queer culture without ever feeling exclusionary. Whether you’re a lifelong musical theatre fanatic, a devoted drag fan, or simply someone who enjoys watching talented performers create theatrical mayhem, there’s plenty here to enjoy.

By the time the final laugh lands, LICKED: FOR GAY leaves audiences with sore cheeks from smiling and perhaps a newfound inability to hear the word “Wicked” without giggling. It is outrageous, irreverent, unapologetically queer, and about as subtle as a glitter cannon fired from a moving Pride float. In other words, it’s exactly what it wants to be—and that’s what makes it wickedly entertaining.

LICKED: FOR GAY is Speakeysie highly recommended, Eileen Slightly approved, and plays until June 28th, so get your tickets faster than a clock tick!!

As always, peace be with you and thanks for your readership!