The Off-Broadway Theatre Review: Make Me Gorgeous

By Ross

“Life,…am I right?” This is the question, asked by the grand persona who arrives from behind at the beginning of Make Me Gorgeous, and after not really waiting for an answer beyond a communal nod of our enraptured heads, actor Wade McCollum, whose credits include Wicked and the upcoming new Broadway musical, Water for Elephants, dives in, full force, and with great exuberant expertise. He waits for no one or nothing, beyond a smile, before he unleashes a pretty joyful conventional one-person show from a non-conventional biography of the renown, although not known to me, professional female impersonator by the name of Kenneth “Mr. Madam” Marlowe.

Gesturing to the pile of books that Kenneth Marlowe wrote piled high on that dainty desk at the back of the stage at Off-Broadway’s Playhouse 46 at St. Luke’s, designed with deliberate flamboyant intent by Walt Spangler (Broadway’s Between Riverside and Crazy) with grand lighting by Jamie Roderick (Gingold’s Mrs. Warren’s Profession) and sound design by Ien DeNio (NYTW’s Endlings), McCollum, looking good in Rasberry and so much more, or less, unwraps Make Me Gorgeous! with a spectacularly funny and engaging flair, full of secret signals spoken with sly intent, and talismans of hope and care shared and spread with an abundance of love and painted lips.

This one-person show is a joyful and smart engagement, filled with captivating feather moves and high kicks that fly out like a handful of birdseed turmoil sprung out of captivity in the back. It reveals itself, garishly and cleverly, like a well-crafted book, flaunting and flinging all the trials and tribulations a princess could encounter in a journey toward personal discovery. The entertainment and engagement is palpable and pleasure based, giving thanks to a few well-named mentors, like Dutchess and Candy, and a sweet kindly sugar daddy waving good bye as the bus pulls out of the station.

Mister Madam, as embodied by the limber and lean McCollum, finds the formula for both tender engagement through trauma and through broad laughs brought forward with sly winks, thanks to the carefully written storyline of the real-life Iowa-born Marlowe, who had to transverse a world of mid-twentieth century convention and restrictions in style and fortitude. Beautifully brought to life by McCollum with a strong assist from costume designer Jeffrey Hinshaw (triangle’s When Pigs Fly), Marlowe really does feel like a dream and a dynamo. This is a pleasure cruise through time and place that is vivid, engaging, and sometimes emotionally troubling. And it only wants, no, begs you to discover and find out more about this fascinating person. Mainly, it made me want to buy those books and read them cover to cover.

The play finds fortitude in its unpacking, showcasing fabulous tender flavors throughout the wild bus ride journey from Iowa to San Fransisco that Marlowe made, with multiple captivating stops in Chicago, Calumet City, Indianapolis, New Orleans, and Los Angeles. It’s quite the wonderful vivid ride, one filled to the brim with experiences and performances brought to life dutifully by the captivating presence of McCollum. Adapted from the book “Mr. Madam: The Life and Times of Kenneth/Kate Marlowe,“, playwright and director Donald “Donny” Horn (’69’: The Sexual /Revolution Musical) unveils and delivers all kinds of unconstrained possibility in the telling of Make Me Gorgeous. It rarely falters, even when it veers off the scattered road for a bit of fun and frolic. It always rights itself in its connectivity and childlike wonder in the world.

Mister Madam’s journey is a complicated one, filled with tender unwrappings and a few traumatic twists enlisted by force, that jump out and surprise you into a state of caring submission. McCollum finds finesse in the non-stop delivery, giving us a bouquet of fantastic and detailed characters, one after the other, ranging from an alcoholic mother all the way to a controlling gangster with a twist and a fist ready to fight. Along the way, through a variety of career choices, such as hustler, showgirl, stripper, and hairdresser in a brothel, to name just a few, Mister Madam finds community in almost every place found, except the Army, naturally, which delivers a different kind of awakening. One that may make you lean forward and reach out with protective tender care.

It’s a journey that takes us by the hand, like a maternal all-knowing New Orleans madam, and guides us with pleasure until it finds its way to the final chapter and a personal truth. We didn’t really see it coming, and a more gentle approach to the end game could benefit the whole razzle and dazzle, but the showmanship of McCollum holds the piece firmly together, even if one eye looks more awake than the other. McCollum is only appearing one more week, ending his run on January 28th. So hurry yourself up if you want to see him sing and shine in that “dirty napkin dress“. And just like his mother once told the growing Kenneth Marlowe, “Don’t let the word ‘can’t’ stop you. Sink your teeth like a bulldog and don’t let go.” Who wants to question or defy that kind of wisdom?

Make Me Gorgeous!
Wade McCollum continues in the role through January 28. before departing the production to appear on Broadway in the upcoming Water For Elephants.

Startiing February 1, Darius Rose (aka Jackie Cox, a top-5 finalist from “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” Season 12) steps into Mr. Marowe’s pumps for a 4 week engagement February 1 through 25.

Playhouse 46 at St. Luke’s, 08 W 46th Street, New York NY
Tickets online and current performance schedule: https://gorgeousplay.com/