WED | 05.18 SUN | 05.22
a replica of the MTV “Moonman” trophy. Winner of three of the show’s
THU | 05.19
TH EATER
maxi challenges, Farala never landed in the bottom. During her very first lip sync — at the series finale — Farala unsurprisingly snatched the crown, along with €30,000 in prize money, from runners-up Killer
DRAG
Queen and Sagittaria. Currently reigning as “Spain’s First Drag Super-
FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME
CARMEN FARALA
Straight from the Broadway stage, Freestyle Love Supreme is a hip-hop-
The ever-expanding Drag Race universe ventured into Spain in 2021
es presented by Rey Lopez Entertainment and hosted by Tencha la Jefa.
style musical created by theater director Thomas Kail, actor and improv
with Madrid-based entertainer Supremme de Luxe slipping swimming-
$20-$25, 10:30 p.m. and midnight, Bonham Exchange, 411 Bonham St., table
instructor Anthony Veneziale and Broadway superstar Lin-Manuel Mi-
ly into the sky-high heels of franchise creator RuPaul. Among the 10
reservations at (210) 386-4537, facebook.com/reylopezentertainment. —
star,” the bronzed glamazon lands in San Antonio for two performanc-
randa. The winner of a special 2020 Tony Award, the interactive musical
Bryan Rindfuss
takes audiences on what is described as a “freestyle, hip-hop, improvi-
FRI | 05.20 SUN | 06.12
sational comedy ride.” The idea for the musical came to Miranda while he was making his musical In the Heights. During breaks, the cast would spend some of their time rapping and beatboxing. Now that idea has become its own stage production in which entertainers engage with audience members to give them suggestions for rap themes. For those
THEATER
who want to know more about the musical, a 2020 Hulu documentary called We Are Freestyle Love Supreme directed by Andrew Fried (Val) of-
SHE LOVES ME
fers an inside look. The group also created its own TV series now avail-
A timeless fan-favorite, the 1930s love story of Joe Masteroff’s She Loves
able on Prime Video and YouTube. “The thing about the show is that it’s
Me is taking the stage at the Public Theater of San Antonio. Set in
totally different every night,” Miranda told Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight
Europe, the play follows Amalia and Georg, two shop clerks who butt
Show in 2019. “You give us a verb, and then 80 minutes later, you have
heads, but find themselves caught up in a whirlwind of romance via
an entire hip-hop musical show.” $30-$70, 7 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 2
love letters they exchange with unidentified admirers. It’s no coinci-
p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, Charline McCombs Empire Theatre,
dence that the fresh escape of She Loves Me is taking the stage after two
226 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 226-3333, majesticempire.com. — Kiko Martinez
years of pandemic-induced turmoil. The show brings much-needed reminders and lessons of love, community and joy in the mundane. The Public Theater’s production is directed by Laura Michelle Wolfe Hoadley and stars Lauren Esquivel and Grant Bryan as Amalia and Georg, respectively. $17-$47, 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, The Public Theater of San Antonio, 800 W. Ashby Place, (210) 733-7258, thepublicsa. org. — Dana Nichols
Dominik Valvo
performers who inaugurated Drag Race España was Carmen Farala — a Sevillian bombshell who strutted into the “werk room” in a skimpy ode to ’90s-era Versace and declared: “I’ve fought many battles with company, but I’ll win this war on my own.” A statuesque beauty armed with an exacting sense of style, mad makeup skills and serious sewing chops to boot, Farala was a frontrunner from the get-go but only got better as the series progressed. In addition to wowing the judges with elaborate, homespun runway looks — including a strategically wrapped plush snake that paid tribute to trans icon La Veneno and an Iberian lynx costume she created in honor of her late father — Farala proved herself as a natural comedian and a true team player. In one of the show’s most poignant moments, fellow contestant Dovima Nurmi explained to the judges that Farala had thoughtfully whipped up an alternative outfit at the last minute to avoid wearing the same thing as Nurmi — a copy of Spanish singer Rosalía’s dress for the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards. In Courtesy of Empire Theatre
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CURRENT | May 18 – 31, 2022 | sacurrent.com
sisterly style, Farala even gave Nurmi the prop she’d planned to carry:
Mia Isabella Photography
