Becoming Broadway’s Mary Todd Lincoln
To help prepare for the job, Monsoon says she watched parodies, spoofs and even the popular Comedy Central series “Drunk History.”
“I think I know way more about the myths around Lincoln and Mary Todd than I do actual facts,” she laughs before continuing, “I think it’s part of the dramaturgy. Whatever knowledge you have of Mary Todd, the dramaturgy is to keep it at that level of knowledge.”
Comedy is familiar territory for Monsoon, who took her skills on the road back in 2023 during a 44-city tour titled “Jinkx Monsoon: Everything at Stake,” and headlined a sold-out Carnegie Hall concert earlier this year.
Both featured her musical talents, as well as her considerable comedic chops, which Monsoon says are inspired, in part, by legends like Lucille Ball and Madeline Kahn.
“I have learned over the years that there are ways to get laughs by being really big. There are ways to get laughs being really small. Anything can be funny if you find the right way to present it to people,” says Monsoon.
Making the Perfect Comedy ‘Soufflé’
Monsoon also loves the ability to connect with audiences, even though live performances can occasionally come with pitfalls like someone’s phone going off or other disruptions at inopportune moments.
“When something interrupts a punch line, it can be pretty frustrating because you work really, really hard on delivering these jokes,” she says.
“Comedy’s a science. It’s an art and science just like makeup and baking. It combines art and craftsmanship, and timing is everything,” Monsoon explains, saying that it can be hard to regain control in those moments, but that they’re also part of the “beautiful challenge” that is live theater.
“When you get it right, it is the most satisfying feeling in the world. When this is what you love to do, there’s no other feeling,” she says. “Comparing it to makeup and baking, it’s like, a soufflé ain’t easy, so when you do it, you feel pretty damn proud of yourself.”
Making “soufflés” isn’t the only thing Monsoon loves about live performances, however. The “Oh, Mary!” star says they also provide a platform for connection.
“It’s not just about doing theater at the highest level, it’s about doing theater for audiences who come to see the theater for its intended purpose, which is to communicate as a community,” she says.
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