Darius Rose (also known as Jackie Cox) chatted about his Off-Broadway show “Make Me Gorgeous!”‘ and being a part of “Days of Our Lives.”
He also opened up about being a part of the digital age.
‘Make Me Gorgeous!’
Most recently, he celebrated 100 performances with his Off-Broadway show “Make Me Gorgeous!” “It was amazing to celebrate the 100th performance of ‘Make Me Gorgeous!’ with Wade McCollum who played 64 of those performances,” he said.
“Wade was able to stop by before his show that evening over at Water for Elephants. We had so many dear friends in the audience, it was overall such a lovely time,” he added.
“I love being able to play every night with our audience,” he said. “I get to interact with them every night and we get to build and tell this story together, which is such a joy for me.”
Daily inspirations as a performer, artist, and storyteller
On his daily inspirations as a performer, artist and storyteller, he said, “The thing that inspires me most is our shared human experience. I see so much of myself in Kenneth/Kate Marlowe.”
“I think the secret to storytelling is we all can see ourselves in each other if we open our hearts and minds to each other,” he added.
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, now with streaming, technology, and social media being so prevalent, he said, “Well, I think it’s wonderful being able to connect with people in this way and allowing us to see more of each other.”
“On the other hand, sometimes I just want my art to speak for itself without having to remind people about it on social media all the time,” he added.
‘Days of Our Lives’ on Peacock
He opened up about being a part of the Peacock daytime drama “Days of Our Lives.” “I always have a blast on ‘Days of Our Lives.’ It’s just so fun because I never know what wild twists and turns the stories are going to take. And on top of that, the cast and crew there are just so lovely,” he said.
Duet performance with George Krissa at Chelsea Table & Stage in New York
He opened up about performing a duet with Hallmark actor and singer George Krissa at Chelsea Table & Stage in New York back in September of 2023. “I adore George,” he exclaimed.
“We met through our mutual friend, Jonathan Bennett, and I just think he’s so great. I hope George gets to hop back over the border again soon for more singing and laughs,” he said.
Advice for young and aspiring artists
For young and aspiring artists, he said, The biggest piece of advice I tell young people is to just hone in on what they love to do, and focus on that, and to remember that they are the only person who can be them.”
“The second piece of advice I tell young people is to remember it’s ok to make money at your survival jobs! Even though I had been doing drag in New York City for about a decade, it wasn’t until having the huge platform post Drag Race that I was able to make the majority of my income from theater,” he elaborated.
Success
On his definition of the word success, he said, “Success means having pride in what you do. And pride, to me, comes from gratitude. I’m incredibly grateful to Donnie and the team at Gorgeous! for taking a chance on me, and believing in me.”
“I’m proud of what I’ve proven to them and myself in doing this show. That, to me, is success,” he added.
Closing thoughts about ‘Make Me Gorgeous!’
For fans and viewers, he remarked about the Off-Broadway show, “I’d love for people to know that I guarantee if they come into this show with an open mind, it will take them on a journey. One that’s hopefully filled with laughs, joy, and lots of fun.”
“I first saw the play with Wade back in December, and in the days and weeks and now months that have followed I find myself continually going on the journey, not just on stage, but also in the moments off stage where I think about Kenneth/Kate’s life. It’s inspiring to me,” he acknowledged.
