Drew Droege is The King of Camp

Drew Droege is the King (or Queen) of camp.  His career is a casting office of every bigger than life but always endearing group of characters, whether he is creating new personalities for his own one-man shows or parody versions of real people, it’s always a win.  Did you know that indie actress Chloe Sevigny was a riot?  Well, Drew knew.  His online impressions of Chloe (go NOW and watch them on YouTube) are a viral phenomenon that have garnered him mainstream media attention by Entertainment Weekly, The New York Post, Huffington Post, and more, as well as coverage by every major LGBT outlet.   

This North Carolinian started his extensive career at age 3 playing Naughty Victorian Child and the entertainment world would never be the same.  Though comedy would be his calling card, his early ambition was to be a dramatic actor, a la Meryl Streep.  But comedy kept the bullies at bay, as did his ability to pretend he was possessed by the devil.  (That’s a one-man story all on its own.)  After graduating from Wake Forest University, he packed his bags and made a beeline for Los Angeles and quickly started a lucrative relationship with The Groundlings.   

His on-screen career includes Paramount Network’s “Heathers” and recurring roles on “Search Party”, “Bob’s Burgers”, “Drunk History”, “Key and Peele”, and Logo’s “Cocktails and Classics”. You’ve seen his guest spots on “Now Apocalypse”, “Teachers”, “Transparent,” “Life in Pieces”, “2 Broke Girls,” “House Of “New Girl,” “Happy Endings,” and “How I Met Your Mother”, just to name a few.  On stage, he has performed in every type of show in every type of venue from basement performances at Casita Del Campo to solo shows at So-ho Playhouse Off-Broadway. 

It is experiencing his one-man shows, though, that you get to feel the electricity of a master at work, it is a master class in comedy, acting, and storytelling.  He has written and performed five solo shows, including the Michael Urie directed “Bright Colors and Bold Patterns”, which earned him an Outfest Outstanding Performance Award.  His most recent piece, “Happy Birthday Doug”, had its premiere Off-Broadway at Soho Playhouse and was unfortunately cut short due to COVID.   

Not one to be kept down by a little ol’ pandemic, he put on his director’s cap and directed Tom DeTrinis’ one-man show, “Making Friends”, filmed for a COVID-friendly release with Los Angeles’ IAMA Theatre.  Drew’s direction, coupled with Tom’s nuanced performance, changed my mind about watching theatre online.  It worked.  It blissfully worked.  The show centered around Tom’s life as a gay man, an actor, and a family member and the need to fit in and be loved.  Although Drew was not in performance mode, his personality and craft are tangible.   

I chatted with Drew while waiting for COVID to end so I can see his “Happy Birthday Doug” live and in-person: 

What were your first days of doing theatre like?  I have no clue what the Carolinas theatre scene looks like…  

I started doing plays in 10th grade with our community theatre, Lincoln Theatre Guild. I’ve never been more excited for a role as I was when I got cast in “The Diary of Anne Frank”- it unlocked something inside me. I went to Wake Forest University and did a lot of shows, usually playing old men and fathers because I was tall. It was never really something I considered doing as a job – I was not the star of our department, and it was always presented as something to do as a fun hobby. After I spent a summer in London and worked with professional actors, I saw that it could in fact be something I could do for a living. 

You had wanted to be a dramatic actor vs a comedic actor…why was that so important to you? 

 I never trusted comedy as REAL acting. I’ve honestly never understood the expression “dying’s easy, comedy’s hard”. I think it’s all hard. But I came from a funny family, and I guess I figured anyone could make people giggle – I wanted them to FEEL and BE MOVED by me. The harder I tried, the more I made them laugh. Which I guess is a good lesson in playing comedy – just care about what you’re saying and don’t push for a chuckle.  

Now you have this long-lasting comedic career…do you still have a yearning to do drama?  

Yes! I got to do a film last year (“The Extinction of Fireflies”) and I had to do some dramatic work in that, which I loved getting to do. I would kill to be on a procedural show or indie movie, playing some twisted creep or sad sack.  

You have mentioned that you used comedy as a way to avoid being bullied…when did you first start to realize your sexuality may be a bit different than the other boys?  Was bullying an issue?  

I didn’t realize my sexuality until after the rest of the world did, so yeah, I was bullied in junior high. But I learned to make people laugh by doing impressions of teachers, and I convinced certain adversaries that I was possessed, which I HIGHLY recommend, especially if you are in the South. Trust me, if they think the devil’s inside you, they will leave you alone! 

You moved to LA about 20 years ago, what was the defining moment for you to pack up and move to LA?  

I had some college friends out here, and I wanted to study at The Groundlings. I went into the lobby of that theater and saw so many pictures of my idols on their walls – Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Coolidge, Patrick Bristow – and I knew that is where I wanted to train. 

What surprised you the most or took the most getting used to by moving to LA?  

It’s crazy how everyone seems to somehow be in the entertainment business. Doctors are running to commercial auditions and architects are writing screenplays.  

Comedy for sure has changed over the years…in your opinion, how has comedy changed the most? 

 I think the character comedy I learned and currently teach at the Groundlings has not drastically changed – we are playing people and encouraged to do evergreen material that isn’t topical. But yes, standup and Twitter comedy has evolved, I think in a good way. Less than 10 years ago, everyone was trying to be edgy and saying anything they could to get a reaction. It was VERY straight white male dominated. And it was often very mean. I’m glad that the bar has been raised and that punching down is frowned upon, and I’m thrilled that women and BIPOC and LGBTQ artists are getting more opportunities at the top and can play fully realized characters and not just be jokes. 

Are there any elements from early comedy styles that we should bring back or incorporate into modern comedy? 

 I like that older sit-coms took their time. “The Golden Girls” would often take a page to set up a laugh and was never afraid of tackling serious subject matter. I think that is why we’re still in love with those characters because they were 3-dimensional people. 

You have played so many different characters in your career, from borrowed roles like in the musical adaptations of movies or parodies to Chloe, to your own characters…what is your creative process when developing a character…where do you start?  

For me, it is super helpful to find the character’s flaw – what’s one thing about this person that everyone else sees but they don’t see in themselves? I do not really do impressions well, but if I have source material, I will study that and just try to put my spin on it, not super concerned with being spot-on. I just did a film noir show and my character was based on Eve Arden in “Mildred Pierce”. I tried to embody her, and someone said I reminded them of Cesar Romero. I’ll take it! 

Playing camp is such a fine line, there needs to be a sense of sincerity in everything…what makes a successful camp performance?  

I think you just said it. No matter how crazy the piece is to the audience, it’s not crazy for the person in that world. You must believe everything. And if you are committed, you can play it really big, because camp usually involves HIGH STAKES! 

What acting project sticks out for you and why?  

My solo shows are my most personal and favorite experiences. They are monsters to write and rehearse and mount, but ultimately, they are the most rewarding and the most me. 

Ok, we must talk about Chloe…where did the idea come from?  Did you ever think it would become so popular?  Why do you think it is so popular?  

I was doing a sketch show almost 20 years ago and saw myself in a blonde wig and thought, “oh my god I look just like her”. Then I read an interview with her and loved her wild intersections in indie cinema, nightlife, fashion, and the New York scene. The first night I played her, I bombed horrifically, so NO I did not expect her to be the character that would change my life! My friend Jim Hansen saw me do it live a few years later and insisted on doing videos with me. He elevated everything I was doing and is responsible for its success. I love the real Chloe Sevigny, but I think my character is popular because everyone knows a namedropper who is a bit cooler than you. Also, Chloe is positive – she is delighted to tell you what has recently come to her attention! 

You have a tight circle of creatives that you often work with…how does a newbie to the scene break into that creative clique or theatre scene?  

I feel lucky to have so many insanely talented colleagues that I get to work with, and I am blown away by the new talent I see online every day. There is no fast track. Just be good at what you do. Always work to get better. Be cool to work with. And be patient – this takes TIME! 

How have you personally changed the most from day one in arriving from LA?  

I’ve forgotten my family’s names and numbers and replaced them with MOVIE STARS! Seriously I think I’ve learned to shed the idea of Hollywood as this glamourous, exciting, elusive beast, and accept that this is just a place full of great and not-so-great people just trying to make things happen. And everyone can win -this is not a competition. Be at least okay if not happy for everyone – so much is out of our hands. Just keep trying. 

Making Friends, which premiered at IAMA Theatre, is the latest of digital theatre projects hitting the scene.  What was it like directing the show in this environment?  

It was delightful that we got to work in an actual theater, which I had missed SO much in 2020. But we had 3 COVID tests a week and an officer in the lobby who always enforced mask-wearing. We had to eat outside on the roof of the building. But the hardest difference was for Tom DeTrinis, the writer/star of the show, because he had to perform for zero audience members. We had to just pick what we thought was funny/interesting/valid because we could not really try it out for a crowd.  

What did you like about this new style of doing theatre, what didn’t you like?  

I love that we had to trust our instincts and just make what we wanted to make. On the other hand, for Tom’s sake, I really wanted people there laughing and loving him. But this is just temporary, and I am so grateful that we could make something that I’m proud of in this stupid and weird moment.  

How do you direct a one-man show, how do you direct someone on how to be themselves? 

 I think I must know the person well in order to direct them in their solo show, and luckily Tom and I are good friends. And he directed me in my show last year, so we are comfortable bossing each other around. My job is to be an informed outsider and see the show that Tom cannot see because he’s too close to it. When someone puts up their life story, there is never a shape, a beginning-middle-end, a thesis, and conclusion – my job was finding that. And when he played himself, I just encouraged him to lean into himself more! 

What are the plans for your own show?  

Hopefully, I will be doing “Happy Birthday Doug” again somewhere soon. I have no concrete plans since everything is up in the air in the world. And I am also banging around ideas for my next show, so we shall see… 

You can find everything Drew Droege at drewdroege.com