In the Spotlife: Heather Lacy of 'Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'

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Heather Lacy. Todd Peckham. John Moore Heather Lacy and Todd Peckham recently sang a song from the Aurora Fox’s ‘Priscilla Queen of the Desert‘ before a benefit screening of the film for The Denver Actors Fund at Alamo Drafthouse. The stage production opens April 21. Lacy has performed at the DCPA in ‘The Doyle and Debbie Show’ and ‘I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.’ 

MEET HEATHER LACY
Heather Lacy plays Bernadette (the Terence Stamp role) in the Aurora Fox’s regional premiere stage adaptation of the 1994 cult classic Australian film Priscilla Queen of the Desert. 

  • Hometown: Las Cruces N.M.
  • Home now: Denver … and loving it
  • College: B.A. In Theater and Music from Colorado State University in Fort Collins
  • What have you done for us lately? Last month I had the joy of playing Rose in Enchanted April at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
  • Twitter-sized bio: Actor, singer, sister, friend, lover of bacon, climber of mountains (because of the bacon), herder of teenagers, owner of YearRound Sound, listener.
  • What’s your handle? @heatherlacy35 on Instagram, @yearroundsound on Twitter
  • Heather Lacy. Priscilla Queen of the DesertWhat was the role that changed your life? In my third year of college, I was cast as Sally Bowles in Cabaret, and it was a revelation to me. She is such a complicated character. It was such a journey to discover her motivations, and to really truly embrace the idea that every character believes, in the moment, that the choices they are making are the right choices.  
  • Ideal scene partner: I can think of so many but one that comes to mind today is Liev Schreiber. I think he is such a smart, present, genuine actor, with great range.
  • What is Priscilla Queen of the Desert all about? It’s about two drag queens and a transgender woman who are contracted to perform a drag show at a resort in a remote town in the Australian desert. They head west, into adventure, on their lavender bus called Priscilla. It is a high-energy romp with lots of glitz and lively music. In the midst of all of this fluff there are touching stories about redemption and second chances.
  • What is the gender identity of your character? Bernadette is a transgender woman –  defined as a person born biologically male, but who identifies as a female. In the past, this role always has been played by a male. In fact, I think we are the first production anywhere to feature a cisgender woman in this role. Cisgender is a term for people whose gender identity matches the sex that they were assigned at birth. There was one production in Chicago where Bernadette was played by a transgender woman.
  • Tell us about the challenge of playing Bernadette: My challenge is to play Bernadette sincerely, and to give the character both the honesty and wit the role deserves. It is a new challenge, but there is so much to relate to in this lovely woman. Here are just a few relatable thoughts: 1. We all cast off parts of our younger selves – our beliefs, our boundaries, our choices in appearance, etc. – as we discover and become more fully who we each are. We evolve throughout our lives and make changes through the years to, hopefully, become even more genuinely ourselves. Bernadette is no different. 2. We all have experienced moments in our lives when someone has made us feel inferior, not good enough, or even judged. Bernadette is no different. 3. We all want to be loved. Bernadette is no different.
  • What can your casting as Bernadette teach us about gender identity? Perhaps this is a step forward in terms of how we think about all the members of our community. Perhaps in 10 years casting transgender and cisgender women in these roles will be the norm. I think about Jeffrey Tambor’s Emmy Award speech, when he urged the TV industry execs to give transgender actors more opportunities, and I wonder what the future will bring. I hope it brings more of us together instead of finding ways for us to judge each other. I know we need each other. I know that much.


    • More Colorado theatre coverage on the DCPA NewsCenter

  • What do you hope audiences get out of seeing this play? I hope the audience walks away with a smile on their faces, a song stuck in their heads, and a greater appreciation for the journey each of us takes throughout our lives. 
  • What’s one thing most people don’t know about you? I have an identical twin sister. Oh, and when I am home alone, I have full conversations with my dogs.
  • What’s one thing you want to get off your chest? “A lot” is two words. It just is. . No, but seriously: People who are good at what they do are kind. People who are confident in what they do are happy. People who are competent at what they do are pleasant to be around. If you come across a person who is mean, rude, controlling or self-important, run away quickly. Don’t waste your life on those people. I have had experience with this, and it has taught me so much about who I want to work with and be surrounded by in my life. Life is too short. Be kind, and surround yourself with kind people!


    • Heather 800 2Part of the cast from the Aurora Fox’s ‘Priscilla Queen of the Desert‘ before a benefit screening of the film for The Denver Actors Fund at Alamo Drafthouse. Heather Lacy is back and second from the left.  

    Aurora Fox’s Priscilla Queen of the Desert: Ticket information

    • Written by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott
    • Presented by the Aurora Fox
    • Directed by Eden Lane
    • April 21 through May 28
    • Performances 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays beginning April 30
    • 9900 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora
    • Tickets $26-37 ($16 for 12 and under)
    • For tickets or information, call 303-739-1970 or go to aurorafox.org

    Cast list:

    • Todd Peckham as Tick/Mitzi
    • Heather Lacy as Bernadette
    • Rob Riney as Adam/Felicia
    • McKayla Marso as Marion/Ensemble
    • Harrison Lyles-Smith as Benji
    • Mark Rubald as Bob
    • Tashara May as Diva
    • Seles VanHuss as Diva
    • Krisangela Washington as Diva
    • Sharon Kay White as Shirley/Ensemble
    • Jenna Moll Reyes as Cynthia/Ensemble
    • Ammon Swofford as Miss Understanding/Ensemble
    • Ensemble: Melissa Morris, Jordan Manchego, Thomas Ilalaole, Michael Barlow,  Jonathan Sharp

    More ‘In the Spotlife’ profiles:
    Meet Lauren Bahlman of Wide-Eyed West’s theMumblings
    Meet Mark Collins of And Toto Too’s Lost Creatures
    Meet Carley Cornelius of Colorado Springs TheatreWorks’ Constellations
    Meet Emily Paton Davies of Miners Alley Playhouse’s God of Carnage
    Meet Kelsey Didion of Curious Theatre’s Constellations
    Meet Denise Freestone of OpenStage’s August: Osage County
    Meet Sam Gregory of the Arvada Center’s Tartuffe
     Meet John Hauser of Curious Theatre’s Hand to God
    Meet Jim Hunt of Buntport’s The Zeus Problem
    Meet Jeff Jesmer of Spotlight Theatre’s The Crucible
    Meet Wayne Kennedy of BDT Stage’s Mid-Life 2
    Meet Carla Kaiser Kotrc of Miners Alley Playhouse’s A Skull in Connemara
    Meet Seth Maisel of Town Hall Arts Center’s The Firestorm
    Meet Tim McCracken of Local Theatre’s The Firestorm
    Meet Angela Mendez of Beauty and the Beast
    Meet Joelle Montoya of Su Teatro’s El Sol Que Tu Eres
    Meet Rebekah Ortiz of The Robber Bridegroom
    Meet Anne Oberbroeckling of Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company’s Ripcord
    Meet Jessica Robblee of Buntport Theatre for All Ages’ Siren Song: A Pirate Odyssey
    Meet Cory Sapienza of Miners Alley Playhouse’s Hir
    Meet Sean Scrutchins of the Arvada Center’s Bus Stop
    Meet Lauren Shealy of Lone Tree Arts Center’s Evita
    Meet Jane Shirley of The Avenue’s Santa’s Big Red Sack
    Meet Marc Stith of Benchmark Theatre’s The Nether
    Meet Peter Trinh of the Aurora Fox’s Chinglish
    Meet Petra Ulyrich of Germinal Stage-Denver’s Johnny Got His Gun
    Meet Megan Van De Hey of the Arvada Center’s Sister Act
    Meet Sharon Kay White of the Arvada Center’s I’ll Be Home for Christmas

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