Ready to Race
Barbra Seville seeks a spot on RuPaul’s Drag Race
By Glenn Gullickson

Richard Stevens has been known as Barbra Seville for 15 years in Phoenix, but now he’s hoping to get some national attention for his drag alter ego.

Stevens has entered an audition video for the next season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, a reality show that airs on Logo TV.

“I’ve got a unique personality,” Stevens said during a telephone interview. “I think I would make for good television.”

Drag Race features drag queens competing in weekly challenges for a panel of judges. The bottom two contestants are asked to “lip sync for your life” before RuPaul decides which one is eliminated.

Stevens said he became a fan of the show earlier this year when he started watching it at viewing parties. He said friends encouraged him to audition.

For the audition, contestants are asked to create a video, showing off favorite costumes and performing “to basically give some idea of the kind of queen you are,” Stevens said. “They want to get an idea of your personal style.” Half the video had to be shot out of drag, he said.

In his nine-minute audition, Stevens shows Seville’s wardrobe, including a silk kimono and a gown inspired by the Arizona state flag, intercut with scenes of Seville performing. Stevens also is shown applying makeup.

He said he selected outfits that would look good on TV and included a performance of a Madonna number, “Burning Up.” He also wanted to showcase Seville’s stand-up comedy in the video.

Stevens sought professional help to record the audition video, which was shot and edited by August LeBrec of 360 Productions. “I wanted mine to stand out and be professional … easy to watch and easy to listen to,” he said.

He said making the audition video was fun, but “it’s hard to look at yourself in HD.”

He did the recording at local clubs where Seville has shows and during Phoenix Pride, where he hosted one of the stages.

Potential contestants also were asked to answer a questionnaire of 50 to 60 questions covering everything from their drag experience to favorite superstars, Stevens said.

He said he understands that the show is casting different types and he thinks Seville would offer glamour, drama and comedy to the show. At age 36, Stevens said he wouldn’t mind if Seville became a “mother hen” of the cast.

Stevens, who does events three to seven days a week all over the state, said he learned how to make drag a profession by RuPaul’s example. “I take my wig off to him,” Stevens said. “He certainly made a business out of it. I definitely learned that from him.”

Seville performs Saturday nights at Forbidden and monthly at Apollo’s. Tammie Brown, a Drag Race season 2 contestant, was recently a guest at Seville’s show and Raven, who placed second last season, is scheduled to join Seville in July.

The audition video was submitted in April and Stevens said he expects that there will be lots of competition. He isn’t sure when he will hear back or, if he’s selected, when the show would be recorded or broadcast.

The audition video can be viewed at www.vimeo.com.