'Legend of Georgia McBride': Lots of Sass, Sequins and Hardly a Drag

This high-energy production has plenty of 'sass and sequins.'

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Elvis has left the building. Permanently.

He actually left Cleo's, a small dive bar/club in the homophobic Panhandle town of Panama City Beach, Fla., where he was being impersonated by a young man named Casey. The problem? No one was paying to see the show. And so Casey is fired by club owner Eddie. Rent is due. Eviction is being threatened. His wife Jo is pregnant. Life is a drag.

Literally.

Enter Eddie's cousin, a lip-syncing drag queen who is billed as Miss Tracy Mills. Accompanying her is a second drag queen, Rexy, who preferred being known as Miss Anorexia Nervosa ("It's Italian," she says.) Rexy gets drunk, and faster than Edith Piaf can sing "Padam Padam," Miss Tracy Mills has convinced Casey to join her on stage ... in drag. Padding, pantyhose, bodice with breasts, a dress, lipstick and wig and pow!

"Every man has some femininity, you just need to know," Miss Tracy Mills tells Casey, who becomes the first Piaf impersonator in a long, long time. His initial take of the French chanteuse's 1951 hit "Padam Padam" is scary, but after a few tries, c'est magnifique. Money is pouring in, the rent is paid, the baby will have a good life. Life is looking even more divine than Harris Glenn Milstead. (For inquiring minds, Google him.)

Welcome to the gender-bending "Legend of Georgia McBride" (Casey's drag name is taken from the state in which his mother was born and the last name of the first girl he kissed.)

This jukebox musical, now playing at the Colonial Theatre through Aug. 16, is more than a drag show.  Mathew Lopez's script explores self-acceptance, reinvention, identity and true love ... and finding yourself in the most unexpected ways.

"Georgia McBride" doesn't have the compassion and originality of the landmark musical "La Cage aux Folles" — the script is predictable and as light as a false eyelash — but it is awfully funny and entertaining.

One of the funniest lines (and it has nothing to do with drag): "We are going to be the best parents since Joseph and Mary," Casey says.

"Yeah, but then their kid died," Jo snaps back.

There are sass and sequins, poignant moments and topical humor and a sentimentality that can't be dismissed. The cast is high-energy redefined. Kyle Taylor Parker illuminates the stage as Miss Tracy Mills, and he delivers the one-liners with perfection. As Casey/Georgia, Michael Wartella (almost) steals the show. He develops from twangy Elvis to drag queen extraordinaire with a few strokes of make-up and magic.

Isadora Wolfe's snappy direction and choreography keeps the camp and comedy coming at a fast (but not furious) pace. Amy Avila's costumes will make the fussiest drag queen swoon and croon. Just divine! The show's soundtrack features all the gay icons: Garland, Minnelli, Midler, Parton. And the lip-syncing? Good enough that perhaps RuPaul's girls need some lessons?

"The Legend of Georgia McBride" runs through Aug. 16. For tickets or more information, call 413-997-4444 or visit BerkshireTheatreGroup.org.

Allendale Pines North Affordable Manufactured Homes Sell Fast

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:17PM / Saturday, August 22, 2026

Developer Teton Management cut the ribbon on the first six hopes in the manufactured housing community earlier this year. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Just a few months after Allendale Pines North cut the ribbon on its first six homes in the new manufactured home community, units in the planned development are selling fast with both first and second phases all but sold out.

 

For several years, Teton Management Corp. has been planning to expand its existing Allendale Pines Mobile Community with the development of 22 planned manufactured housing units. The new development has its own entrance at 395 Cheshire Road. 

 

The need for attainable housing has never been higher, Teton President George Whaling said. 

 

"And where we sought the opportunity to help with that demand is, we can get folks into a home at Allendale Pines North for essentially a couple of $100 less than what it would cost for someone to rent a three-bedroom of the same quality," he said. 

 

The corporation took over Allendale Pines, now referred to as Allendale Pines South, about 6 1/2 years ago, Whaling said. 

 

Since then, the corporation has invested $1,000,001 in infrastructure improvements, including replacing all water and sewer lines, paving the community and installing the infrastructure needed for 10 additional units, he said. 

 

Additionally, it has been working to clean up and improve the community, which was lacking during previous ownership, said Jason Nocher, owner of Nocher Realty, which has been hired to help sell the units.