Already two of the most popular queens to emerge from the “RuPaul’s Drag Race“ franchise, Plastique Tiara and Nymphia Wind are combining their talents for a brand-new tour, aptly titled The Serpents Tour.
With inspiration being drawn from the tale of the “White Snake & Green Snake”, the tour is a celebration of not just the dynamic talents of these two performers, but of Asian culture and sisterhood. Additionally, the show is also going to be showcasing local AAPI and LGBTQ talent in every city. I sat down for an exclusive chat with both Tiara and Wind and we discussed The Serpents Tour, the drag scenes in both Taiwan and Vietnam, and how this tour is a continuing celebration of true Asian excellence in the art of drag!
Plastique, what is it like to team up with Nymphia on this amazing new tour?
Plastique Tiara: I was just telling my partner that it is the most fun that I have ever had preparing for a tour. It is so much work, but it is so satisfying, you get to create your own storyline. It is such an amazing storyline, it is one that I grew up with, the legend of the White Snake and the Green Snake. It is about chosen family, chaos, and overall Asian mythology and it is such a cunt storyline; who doesn’t love two snakes roaming the Earth? It is going to be a whole narrative production that we are putting on and it’s really ideas that we are bouncing off of each other. It’s truly our passion product, our little baby that we are putting out into the world.
Nymphia Wind: This was a mythology and a story that I grew up with, it was so popular in Asia, it was a story of forbidden love! I remember connecting to The Green Snake, her character is a bit like me. Chaotic, gives little sister energy, and a bit clumsy at times, but at the same time, a bit fierce. It’s an exciting tour to work on and it’s going to be my first tour. I’m so happy to be doing it with Plastique and it’s such a creative journey to put a tour together! At least we are doing it for ourselves, it’s something we really want to do and it’s so fun to prepare; I willingly put myself through the torture!
On the tour, you are having AAPI & LGBTQ representation on each stop; how did you choose who is going to be the representation?
PT: We have an open casting call right now and the deadline date is at the end of the month. We are choosing all of the openers by ourselves and we really wanted to uplift local LGBTQ performers. There are only so many drag tours that go on throughout the year, especially Asian-centric drag tours. I don’t know that there has been an Asian drag duo tour before, we might be the first. It was very important for us to give the children what they need!
What is it about Asian drag that offers to much excellence and truly sets it apart?
PT: We care (laughs)! We care so much about everything.
NW: I think it really roots down to us being Asian and we’re just taught to work really hard and really go for it. I feel like as Asians growing up, we have never really seen ourselves in popular media and in a really Americanized version of the world. I think as Asians, you have much to prove. Prove your worth, prove you are talented to get what you want, you really have to work hard. I think a lot of it stems from that, we really go for it and we really care a lot about what we are doing.
PT: There is such a rich history for us to pull references from and there are so many other stories before us that can lead to so many beautiful things to be created.
Where are the two of you most excited to stop on this tour, which has stops all over North America.
PT: Our first stop is New York, so I am really excited, but a little nervous. We have to get these rehearsals down!
NW: A New York crowd is going to be hard, but it will be a great first show to test the waters. We have to get these rehearsals down! If we can handle a New York crowd, we will be set!
Plastique, what is the drag scene like in Vietnam?
PT: The drag scene is growing rapidly! Over the past two years, since I have been back, there were maybe five drag queens that performed at little bars and they have shows called Lô Tô shows, they are bingo shows where they would sing live and have a bingo. Now, there are drag shows where they do skits and it’s all about this whole pageant and it’s a four hour show that is sold out every single night. The drag over there is just amazing and to have designers so supportive of everyone there…They just love art, comedy, and beauty it makes us so happy. To see that is just absolutely insane and then go to there and have them receive me so well, it’s just amazing. Everyone there is so talented and the drag scene is just booming!
Nymphia, tell me about the drag scene is Taiwan.
NW: The scene there is growing rapidly as well. It’s very vibrant and very much developing. There is also a sense of education in Taiwan, they are really trying to spread the word that drag is nothing to be fearful about and that it is an art form and a way of expression. Taiwan is so small, it kind of just forms into a small community and you just know everyone doing drag on the island. There is a sense that we band together and there is a sense of education.
What was it like seeing a show like WOW Presents’ Slaysian Royale and seeing Asian excellence be celebrated in such a way?
NW: Oh absolutely. It felt like such an honor, like finally we’re here. Finally we are showcasing more Asian drag. I feel like sometimes we’re marginalized and now finally we are seeping into mainstream culture, we’re catching on. We made it here!
PT: Every year on “Drag Race,” there are fourteen contestants and maybe one Asian girl. To have a season of Asian performers from all over the world uplifting and competing for this prize…I think Drag Race Philippines is my favorite. They are absolutely amazing and produce so many stars all over the world.
Plastique, what is a holiday tradition that annually, you cannot wait to participate in?
PT: I feel like for me, growing up I didn’t celebrate Christmas; I celebrated Lunar New Year more. For those holidays, we light lanterns, we eat a bunch of rice cakes and receive a lot of money from our elders. Now that I’m older though, I have to give money now (laughs)!
NW: I would say Lunar New Year is definitely the big one! My typical holiday is just being able to lay in bed and be a potato for twenty four hours (laughs)!
Follow Nymphia Wind on Instagram @66wind99
Follow Plastique Tiara on Instagram @plastiquetiara
