Drag Mensch

Joey and His Girls invades one of Philly's oldest synagogues.

by Natalie Hope McDonald

Neal Santos LONG LIVE THE QUEENS: Justin Mason (left), Les Harrison (middle) and Joey Josephs (right) are mainstays in the Philly drag scene.

[ lgbtq ]

It's not often that one associates fake eyelashes, rouge and feather boas with the oldest Ashkenazi synagogue in the Western hemisphere. But these two worlds collide when Joey and His Girls, an hourlong drag revue led by South Philly native Joey Josephs (pictured, right), conjures the ghosts of divas past to raise money for the charitable Bikur Holim Committee of Congregation Beth Ahavah at Rodeph Shalom, one of the only LGBTQ-friendly synagogues in Philly.

Josephs, a pint-size Sylvester Stallone look-alike and popular drag performer at local nightclubs The Lark, Venture Inn and Sisters, is best-known for honoring great dames like Connie Francis, Liza Minnelli and Marilyn Monroe with spot-on lip-sync routines. But after taking a year's worth of singing lessons to perfect that famous Judy Garland vibrato, he's ready to make his singing debut in Philadelphia.

"I've always been a closeted singer," says Josephs. "I've given some of my best concerts in the shower, but unfortunately my bathroom's too small to invite an audience."

To gain the chutzpah and skills needed to reincarnate one of America's (not to mention the gay community's) most beloved entertainers — no easy feat for a guy who regularly sports a goatee — Josephs hosted free impromptu concerts last year as Garland in his South Jersey living room before moving back to Philly. It turned out to be quite the confidence-builder.

"I basically do impersonations," says Josephs, who will also perform as Bette Midler at the show, alongside fellow female illusionists Les Harrison, Justin Mason and Kevin Banks. Drag king Karen Wells is also performing as Boy George.

Known for interpreting classic Shirley Bassey numbers including "Goldfinger" and "Diamonds are Forever," Harrison is a former Vegas performer and a legend in Philly's gay community, having appeared at clubs from the Gayborhood to River Road in New Hope. He's also been a fixture at many local gay pride events during the past several decades.

Both Mason, who performs as the sultry Precious Caliente, and Banks, better-known as Katrina Banks, have shimmied and kick-lined their way through Sisters and Bob & Barbara's over the years, playing diva to both LGBTQ and straight crowds.

"Everyone's donating their time to a really great cause," says Josephs, who was eager to gather a roster of first-class acts for the fundraiser. "It gives my heart a pang," he sings as Garland, from "San Francisco," which she performed in her legendary 1961 concert at Carnegie Hall.

For Josephs, the song conjures feelings about love, charity — even stage fright. "I'm still working on that last one," he admits.

(editorial@citypaper.net)

Sat., Jan. 16, 8 p.m., $20, Teller Auditorium at Rodeph Shalom, 615 N. Broad St., 215-923-2003, rodephshalom.org.