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Global drag icons and RuPaul’s Drag Race stars, BenDeLaCreme and Jinkx Monsoon are taking the stage once again in a post-apocalypse-mas extravaganza certain to make this yuletide gayer than ever! That’s right… After a year of doom, gloom, and zoom, the Queens of Christmas have risen from the rubble to unearth your favorite holiday tradition with a 26-city tour of The Return of The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show, LIVE! (Produced by BenDeLaCreme Presents) across the U.S., U.K. and Canada from November 13 - December 30, 2021. This run marks the biggest tour for Jinkx & DeLa’s holiday show since its wildly successful inception, as they return with their signature whip-smart comedy, brand new songs, and a few perennial favorites.
In exclusive statements to Entertainment Weekly, BenDeLaCreme said, “After a year in captivity Jinkx and I are bustin’ at the seams and rarin’ to go! Waiting for Santa is NOTHING compared to the excitement I feel to be back in theaters, sharing the holidays with the chosen family we’ve collected around the globe!” Jinkx Monsoon added, “I’m thrilled to be back on tour with my sister DeLa, celebrating the holidays the way I was meant to: boozed up, bawdy, and on display.”
For the past three years, Jinkx and DeLa have owned the holiday season with their critically-acclaimed sold-out holiday tours (To Jesus, Thanks for Everything in 2018 and All I Want for Christmas Is Attention in 2019). In 2020, BenDeLaCreme produced her first-ever film under BenDeLaCreme Presents with The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Special (Hulu / PVOD), a 60-minute variety special made for the screen. The special debuted to critical acclaim and solidified itself as a global queer holiday must-watch for years to come.
The Return of The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show, LIVE! is produced and directed by BenDeLaCreme, co-written and co-created by BenDeLaCreme and Jinkx Monsoon, and associate produced by Kevin Heard. For more information, and to sign up for updates, visit jinkxanddela.com.
U.S. Tour Dates:
November 30 – Portland, ME (State Theatre)
December 1 – Boston, MA (The Wilbur)
December 3 – New York, NY (The Town Hall)
December 4 – New York, NY (The Town Hall)
December 5 – Washington, DC (Lincoln Theatre)
December 6 – Philadelphia, PA (Keswick Theatre, Glenside)
December 8 – St. Paul, MN (The Fitzgerald)
December 9 – Chicago, IL (Thalia Hall)
December 10 – Detroit, MI (The Majestic Theatre)
December 12 – Austin, TX (Paramount Theatre)
December 14 – Denver, CO (Paramount Theatre)
December 16 – Phoenix, AZ (The Van Buren)
December 18 – Los Angeles, CA (The Theatre at Ace Hotel)
December 19 – San Francisco, CA (The Palace of Fine Arts Theatre)
December 21 – Seattle, WA (The Neptune)
December 22 – Seattle, WA (The Neptune)
December 23 – Seattle, WA (The Neptune)
December 24 – Seattle, WA (The Neptune)
December 26 – Seattle, WA (The Neptune)
December 28 – Vancouver, BC (Vogue Theatre)
December 30 – Portland, OR (The Newmark)
Praise for Jinkx & DeLa
"Jinkx Monsoon and BenDeLaCreme are the Queens of Christmas." - Entertainment Weekly
"Filled with queer Christmas cheer, these queens deliver the goodies." - Film Inquiry
“A masterclass in polished, elevated drag, that plays to the special talents of its stars, this is a pairing not to be missed.” - Glasgow Theatre
“[Jinkx & Dela] are experts at the kind of physical comedy Lucille Ball perfected in her heyday. Whether it’s with a snarl of the lip, in Jinkx’s case, or a widening of the eyes, in DeLa’s, each has the ability to make small movements speak volumes…” - Exeunt Magazine
About BenDeLaCreme
Director, Producer, Co-Creator, Co-Writer, Starring as Herself
Sweet as pie and sharp as cheddar, the Terminally Delightful BenDeLaCreme is known for combining her background in performing and visual arts with a love of spectacle, glamour, and Saturday morning cartoons.
Continuing to break new ground by, and for, drag artists, DeLa’s production company, BenDeLaCreme Presents, produced its first national tour with, To Jesus, Thanks for Everything! -Jinkx and DeLa, co-created and co-written by BenDeLaCreme and Jinkx Monsoon. In 2019, the queens hit the road again with a brand new holiday show titled, All I Want for Christmas is Attention. That tour was a sold-out sensation and marked DeLa’s first producer credit for an international tour. In 2020, BenDeLaCreme self-produced, directed and co-wrote her debut film under BenDeLaCreme Presents, The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Special, which became a critical and commercial success, leading to an exclusive licensing deal with Hulu. DeLa is thrilled to add producing and directing her first film feature to her long list of career achievements. BenDeLaCreme also made a cameo appearance along with Jinkx Monsoon in Hulu's biggest film debut to date, Happiest Season. She has dazzled crowds throughout the Americas, Europe, and Australia, premiered four critically acclaimed solo shows off-Broadway, as well as written, directed, and produced myriad narrative works and variety spectaculars that have played to sold-out audiences for over a decade. BenDeLaCreme’s live performances have received glowing reviews: “Keeping you entertained while making you think about your place in the world is all a part of the BenDeLaCreme experience,” said Forbes and Billboard raves that her work “...soars past entertainment and into the realm of theatrical art.”
About Jinkx Monsoon
Co-Creator, Co-Writer, Starring as Herself
Since winning Season 5 of RuPaul's Drag Race, Jinkx Monsoon (she/her) has travelled the world performing her original cabaret shows with her music partner, Major Scales. The duo are best known for their highly acclaimed show The Vaudevillians, which enjoyed multiple extensions Off-Broadway and toured to many international festivals. With original music by Major Scales, Jinkx has released two albums: The Inevitable Album and The Ginger Snapped (available on Apple Music, iTunes and Spotify). While live performing is her passion, Jinkx is no stranger to film and TV work. Besides her stint in reality TV, she has appeared on the CBS cop drama Blue Bloods, the Netflix original AJ and the Queen, and has voiced characters for such animated shows as Steven Universe, Mighty Magiswords, Bravest Warriors, as well as a few surprises that are yet to come! Jinkx has been the subject of two documentaries: Drag Becomes Him, and The Queens. She is an award-winning stage actress, having won the Gregory Award for her portrayal of Hedwig in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and most recently, The MAC Award for her show The Ginger Snapped, co-written with Major Scales. You can watch her web show, Cool Mom with comedy partner Nick Sahoyah on the streaming app WOW Presents Plus. Jinkx is extremely proud of her partnership with BenDeLaCreme, having co-written and co-starred in both To Jesus, Thanks for Everything! -Jinkx and Dela, All I Want for Christmas is Attention and The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Special now on Hulu.
Mental health apps for the LGBTQ+ Community
It's been quite a year and we're only halfway through 2022. The pandemic is still ongoing, LGBTQ+ rights are under threat, money struggles are prevalent, and that’s just to name a few issues. In the midst of all this, it’s hard not to feel anxious. Understand that your feelings are valid and so we put together this handy guide for mental health apps.
Dr. Jack Turban, MD, MHS, a child and adolescent psychiatry fellow at Stanford University School of Medicine researches the mental health of transgender youth. He explains that during the pandemic the mental health of LGBTQ+ youth has been declining. He says, “For instance, the Trevor Project crisis line for LGBTQ+ youth has seen a surge in volume.”
If you’re struggling, know that you aren’t alone. Seeking help may be a difficult step to take, but it’s a necessary one. Luckily, there are a lot of resources out there that can help you find support and affirmation.
How Can Mental Health Apps Help?
Mental health apps are a low-cost, accessible way to receive instant help for your struggles. While they aren’t a replacement for professional care, they have various functions to promote mental wellness, such as sleep reminders, calming music, and even mood trackers. Some apps also have teletherapy services, where you can communicate with a licensed specialist to get started with treatment.
“One of the most important parts, and beautiful parts when used correctly, is that digital mental health tools and the internet in general, create a space for connections. [Mental health apps] are beneficial because they can help remove some of the possible barriers LGBTQ+ individuals deal with in less accepting environments. Hopefully, they can access such tools without someone standing in their way or being gatekeepers that bar their path to better health”, says Dr. Chase Anderson, MD, MS, a child psychiatry fellow at the University of California San Francisco.
Five Mental Health Apps
Mental Health Apps
Below is a list of five mental health apps that can help to make your life a little easier.
1. Ayana Therapy
Ayana is an app that helps people from marginalized communities find a therapist they can identify with based on their unique experiences and identities across race, gender identity, class, sexuality, ethnicity, and ability. This on-demand app allows for flexible communication across convenient platforms (text, phone, and video call) to get in touch with your LGBTQ+ therapist whenever you need to.
Ayana Therapy
2. Pride Counseling
This is an online counseling program for the LGBTQ+ community, led by specialized mental health professionals. Through the app, you can conveniently get in touch with a licensed specialist through live chat in addition to booking weekly scheduled appointments. Pride Counseling also offers need-based financial aid to make counseling affordable.
Pride Counseling on iOS Pride Counseling on Google Play
3. Sowlmate
Sowlmate is an LGBTQ+-focused self-care app with a wide library of interactive courses and meditation sounds designed by LGBTQ+ professionals. A key feature of this app is the AI-based mood tracker, where the data is used to showcase content tailored to your individual needs. New programs are released every week on the platform.
Sowlmate on iOS Sowlmate on Google Play
4. Trill Project
This is an anonymous, social network where you can freely express yourself. Through the app, you can share your deepest, unfiltered thoughts and build authentic conversations with other members of the LGBTQ+ community. There is also tons of content focused on LGBTQ+ issues and mental health for users to discover and share.
Trill Project on iOS Trill Project on Google Play
5. Wisdo
Wisdo is a peer-to-peer support platform to connect with people who’ve walked your path and share your own helpful advice. In the app, there are live sessions from mentors and virtual communities focused on discussing LGBTQ+ issues. You can also easily have private conversations with people you guide or learn from.
Wisdo on iOS Wisdo on Google Play
Crisis Help
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741, or visit www.SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.com for additional resources.
If you are an LGBTQ+ young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgment-free place to talk, call the Trevor Lifeline immediately at 1-866-488-7386.