All 14 RuPaul’s Drag Race Rusicals ranked from worst to best
RuPaul’s Drag Race Rusicals have become a challenge tradition. (WOW)
There are few things that are true of every RuPaul’s Drag Race season in the modern era. Shade, the Snatch Game – and the Rusical challenge.
What started as a little sketch-comedy number, with the queens actually singing their lines, has evolved into a full-scale Broadway-sized production challenge, complete with lip-syncing, complex choreography and a variety of subject matters.
Following season 16’s recent Julie Andrews tribute The Sound of Rusic, and with Drag Race UK vs the World season two’s Rusical about to air, here’s our (by no means definitive) ranking of the Rusicals.
14. Social Media: The Unverified Rusical, season 13
This was weird. A Drag Race Rusical based on *checks notes* LinkedIn and Russian spies, with Tina Burner as EmShee? No, thanks.
There was no stand-out moment or song (apart from maybe Utica’s Twitter verse), the theme wasn’t particularly engaging and we don’t have that much to say on the matter. Never a good sign.
It was also season 13’s double shantay between Symone and Kandy Muse, which seemed unsatisfactory for some viewers, and snagged Rosé her first (deserved) win.
13. Trump: The Rusical, season 11
A Grease-cum-45th-President-of-the-United-States musical set inside the Trump School for Girls. Need we say more?
Never has there ever been a more miscast role than Mercedes Iman Diamond as Ivanka Trump, and, for some reason, Silky Nutmeg Ganache was Oprah. Maybe it was the subject matter, but, in our opinion, it lacked real joy.
We got the satire of it all but was a whole episode dedicated to the crackpot-in-chief really such a good idea?
12. Glamazonian Airways, season 7
Glamazonian Airways realistically falls into the “so bad, it’s good” category but Rusicals as a whole past this point tend to be so good that the airline-centric number pales in comparison.
The challenge wasn’t very “rusically”, in that it was essentially step-walk, step-touch choreography with very divided lip-sync parts. Still, Ginger nailed her role and got a well-deserved win. Jasmine Masters was also hilarious.
It was also notable for Katya not knowing the words…
11. Bitch Perfect, season 8
One of the shortest seasons of Drag Race ever gave us a Pitch Perfect parody, and while it was good, it was still pretty unremarkable.
It wasn’t even really a Rusical, more of a “look at these drag queens performing RuPaul songs as either punks or good girls”. Weird!
Having said that, it gave the much-missed Chi Chi Devayne a challenge win for her upside-down splits and resulted in a double elimination.
10. Joan: The Unauthorised Rusical, All Stars 8
The only reason that this is relatively high up on the list is for production value. All Stars 8 was a weird cast and overall, a pretty weird season, but boy, oh boy, was World of Wonder throwing money at the situation.
This Rusical was a pretty solid offering. Kandy Muse’s wire-hanger routine continues to live rent-free in our heads, as does LaLa Ri’s appearance.
It was, however, more than 10 minutes long. That’s too much, sorry!
9. Kardashian: The Musical, season 9
We have a distinct soft spot for season nine’s effort. Need we say more than Eureka O’Hara as North West Kardashian.
Alexis Michelle’s Kris Jenner was phenomenal, Farrah Moan’s Kylie Jenner was so bad it’s become legendary, Cynthia Lee Fontaine didn’t know a single word, and, above all, Nina Bo’Nina Brown should have been Blac Chyna.
The only reason this is so low down the rankings in the lack of production value.
8. VH1 Divas Lip-Sync Live, All Stars 3
This was another “drag queens singing RuPaul songs in a distinct style” number, but the amount of stunning moments means we simply don’t care – and for those keeping score, we’re well and truly in “good Rusicals” territory now.
BenDeLaCreme as Julie Andrews was brilliant, as was Shangela as Mariah Carey, and we also got the absolute sabotage of Thorgy Thor’s Stevie Nicks. We could have done without Milk’s alleged Celine Dion impression, though.
7. Cher: The Unauthorised Rusical, season 10
You may have noticed that “Pharmarusical” has been omitted from this list – and for good reason (the reason being that it was not good).
This Cher tribute, though, was great. Taking Drag Race viewers through her different eras was a master stroke, and we maintain that Monét X Change should have snagged the win. Overall, though, great performances from all.
Minor points deducted for the random cockroaches at the end.
6. Shade: The Rusical, season 6
Adore Delano and Courtney Act munched this Rusical up so badly that there was simply no food left for anyone else.
It’s a fan-favourite for a reason, and, as mentioned above, it’s a rare Rusical where the two lead queens were actually good singers. Really good.
It could have been a double win. We do have to say that there was something weird about fish oil.
5. The Sound of Rusic, season 16
Our most recent entry into the Drag Race Rusical canon, The Sound of Rusic was fantastic – and Plasma should be nominated for a Tony Award.
Three duelling drag houses battling it out for winner of a local drag competition, all chaperoned by Mariah (Plasma), was great fun.
Sapphira was fabulous as supporting actress-in-chief, Q looked fabulous in actual hair, and Nymphia’s pine cone obsession was hilarious. In fact, Dawn, Nymphia and Megami’s number is one of Drag Race‘s catchiest original tunes. Girl, tea, shade, pine cone!
4. Madonna: The Unauthorised Rusical, season 12
Another Rusical based on a celeb’s life. And for season 12, it was Madonna.
The cast was fantastic, even if overshadowed slightly by the fact that Jan’s psychological torture ramped up to 10. A shout-out, as well, to Jaida Essence Hall in lingerie and a platinum updo. A lot of people were sexually confused that day.
It’s a testament to how good every other Drag Race Rusical is on this list, that this season’s offering only comes fourth.
3. Moulin Ru! The Rusical, season 14
A Broadway-level production, if you ask us (and you are, if you’re reading this). Moulin Ru! was stellar.
The challenge saw the seven remaining queens do a Moulin Rouge parody, and the episode as a whole only served to emphasise just how good it was. Lady Camden (who was phenomenal) vs Bosco, Bosco’s golden chocolate bar, Willow Pill as the green fairy. Slay.
2. Herstory of the World, All Stars 2
Alyssa Edwards as sharp-shooter Annie Oakley. Need we say more? No. But we will!
Roxxxy Andrews performing in stiletto heels, Michelle Visage playing god with the thickest New Jersey accent you’ve ever heard and Detox dressed in neon to play Marie Antoinette – this was pure entertainment, with one of the best casts Drag Race has ever seen.
We still have flashbacks to Alyssa rolling around the werk room with a bejewelled pistol.
1. Wigloose: The Rusical, season 15
Politically charged and aired at a time when its real-world inspirations were shockingly relevant, Wigloose: The Rusical takes the top spot in our ranking.
With an original score and a concept giving a huge nod to Footloose, as a town looks set to ban drag, Wigloose was magnificent.
Mistress Isabelle Brooks and Anetra slayed as the villain and “mother” figure, and seeing Sasha Colby as Carl was a fever dream, in the best possible way.
We remain firm in our stance that this should have been a top-two week, rather than an elimination. No one did a bad job.
