This month, one of our very own Queen of the Week Hall of Famers, and RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 7 hopeful Nina West debuted an innovative new drag show: Nina West’s Excellent Adventure. The action-adventure show captures the experience of Choose-Your-Own-Adventure books by allowing audience members to vote on the direction of the performance using their smart phones. We caught up with Columbus Ohio’s drag darling to find out more about Excellent Adventure, working with veteran Drag Race queens, and what her fans can expect next!
Drag Official: The 'Choose-Your-Own-Adventure' concept for your new show, Nina West's Excellent Adventure, is so innovative, interactive, and fun! What inspired you to come up with this concept for the show?
Nina West: When I was growing up, I loved the Choose Your Own Adventure series books. I would jump around and read every possible route, journey, and path, seeing where I could go and what adventure I could go on. I was also slightly obsessed with Indiana Jones. I loved those huge adventure stories. This show has been six years in the making.
D.O.: I know you want to keep your cards close to your chest, but what kind of adventure can we expect from the show?
N.W.: The audience can expect the unexpected! We like to catch them off guard! This show is so different from anything else I have produced. I have worked with top notch artists in a variety of fields to execute this show. We have an app for your smart phone so people can take part in interactive voting - so they can choose which way the show goes! We also have texting set up for voting. We want people to really run the show and choose what they see! I just wanted to create an experience unlike anything else going on out there right now, and this amazing cast and crew has pulled it off flawlessly. I am super lucky to be able to work with some of the most amazing people.
Nina West: When I was growing up, I loved the Choose Your Own Adventure series books. I would jump around and read every possible route, journey, and path, seeing where I could go and what adventure I could go on. I was also slightly obsessed with Indiana Jones. I loved those huge adventure stories. This show has been six years in the making.
D.O.: I know you want to keep your cards close to your chest, but what kind of adventure can we expect from the show?
N.W.: The audience can expect the unexpected! We like to catch them off guard! This show is so different from anything else I have produced. I have worked with top notch artists in a variety of fields to execute this show. We have an app for your smart phone so people can take part in interactive voting - so they can choose which way the show goes! We also have texting set up for voting. We want people to really run the show and choose what they see! I just wanted to create an experience unlike anything else going on out there right now, and this amazing cast and crew has pulled it off flawlessly. I am super lucky to be able to work with some of the most amazing people.
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D.O.: You have been in Columbus for a number of years. What do you enjoy the most about the city? Do you feel that Columbus is an underrated LGBT city?
N.W.: I absolutely love this city. I am proud to call Columbus home. Why do I love it so much? The people. Plain and simple. You can do anything here and be anything here. If you need help, you reach out and people want to jump on board and work with you. It is a city of growth and support and love.They embrace the art of drag and celebrate it. And you know, I am not sure why people have this idea of Columbus being viewed as underrated as an LGBT city. We have an enormous LGBT population, and our community, as a whole, is pretty unified. We have strong support from our straight allies in this city. But you know, maybe we like to be a hidden gem and surprise the hell out of people when they visit. Columbus is great. Come, check it out for yourself, and I promise you will fall in love.
D.O.: You have an extremely loyal fan base (whenever we have a competition on Drag Official, your fans come out in the thousands to vote!) How did you come to have such a large, dedicated fan base?
N.W.: You know, I am not sure how it all happened. I am very fortunate. I am very thankful. I think I am real. I try to connect with people. I work hard to be involved with my community. I celebrate others. I am honest, and forthright. And I work very hard. Success is not handed over or just given. It takes a lot of heart, soul, and sacrifice, and it also takes humility. I may not be the fishiest girl on the block, or the best dancer, or even the funniest, but I am devoted deeply to the people who have gotten me to the level I am at, and I work very hard to raise the bar for myself because I feel a strong connection and responsibility to my friends and fans.
N.W.: I absolutely love this city. I am proud to call Columbus home. Why do I love it so much? The people. Plain and simple. You can do anything here and be anything here. If you need help, you reach out and people want to jump on board and work with you. It is a city of growth and support and love.They embrace the art of drag and celebrate it. And you know, I am not sure why people have this idea of Columbus being viewed as underrated as an LGBT city. We have an enormous LGBT population, and our community, as a whole, is pretty unified. We have strong support from our straight allies in this city. But you know, maybe we like to be a hidden gem and surprise the hell out of people when they visit. Columbus is great. Come, check it out for yourself, and I promise you will fall in love.
D.O.: You have an extremely loyal fan base (whenever we have a competition on Drag Official, your fans come out in the thousands to vote!) How did you come to have such a large, dedicated fan base?
N.W.: You know, I am not sure how it all happened. I am very fortunate. I am very thankful. I think I am real. I try to connect with people. I work hard to be involved with my community. I celebrate others. I am honest, and forthright. And I work very hard. Success is not handed over or just given. It takes a lot of heart, soul, and sacrifice, and it also takes humility. I may not be the fishiest girl on the block, or the best dancer, or even the funniest, but I am devoted deeply to the people who have gotten me to the level I am at, and I work very hard to raise the bar for myself because I feel a strong connection and responsibility to my friends and fans.
D.O.: We heard you auditioned for RuPaul's Drag Race season 7! What made you want to audition? Have you auditioned for any past seasons?
N.W.: I absolutely love RuPaul's Drag Race. I am a huge fan. And you hear every girl on the show say it is the Olympics of drag, because, well, it is. Why wouldn't I want to be part of that? I would love the chance to be part of that sisterhood and family, and I would want the chance to better myself. You can't possibly walk away from an experience like that and not be changed. There is an evolution that can be had if you go into the experience the right way. For so many who may audition, it is about exposure, fame, money. And yeah, I would love to compete for that cash prize, don't get me wrong, but I would also LOVE to be able to say I did it. I accepted the challenge and - win, lose, or draw - I succeeded. I have auditioned since season 2, and I feel like I have unfinished business with it. Maybe one day. I keep a positive outlook and if it doesn't happen, I will audition again next season. And the season after.
N.W.: I absolutely love RuPaul's Drag Race. I am a huge fan. And you hear every girl on the show say it is the Olympics of drag, because, well, it is. Why wouldn't I want to be part of that? I would love the chance to be part of that sisterhood and family, and I would want the chance to better myself. You can't possibly walk away from an experience like that and not be changed. There is an evolution that can be had if you go into the experience the right way. For so many who may audition, it is about exposure, fame, money. And yeah, I would love to compete for that cash prize, don't get me wrong, but I would also LOVE to be able to say I did it. I accepted the challenge and - win, lose, or draw - I succeeded. I have auditioned since season 2, and I feel like I have unfinished business with it. Maybe one day. I keep a positive outlook and if it doesn't happen, I will audition again next season. And the season after.
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D.O.: You are constantly hosting season 6 queens from RuPaul's Drag Race at Axis. How has it been working with all of them?
N.W.: I have had the pleasure and privilege of working with almost every contestant from the show (...almost). I think I have maybe 9 girls that I have not worked with (YET!). And, you know, every experience is different because every girl is different. But almost every girl is fun and fabulous. And I love showing off our city and our amazing crowds to the girls. Columbus has it going on and the city has fallen in love with many of the Drag Race girls that have performed at Axis. Sure, you get a bad attitude every once and awhile, but that really is a rarity. I mean, we can dish if you wanna sometime. I do have some flawless stories. The Drag Race girls almost always come ready to play and have fun and I have made a lot of lasting friendships as a result. Season 6 has been particularly awesome, and we are still working through the roster of gals. Bianca, Milk, Adore, Vivacious, Ben, Laganja, and Joslyn are all making stops here this summer. Courtney was just here this past weekend and she really rocked it out. The crowd lived for her, and she was on top of her game. She is a star!
D.O.: Do you have any upcoming projects you'd like to tell us about?
N.W.: I am excited to start work on more puppet projects at my studio as well as begin work on a new super top secret project that should be ready just in time for the holidays. I do like the element of surprise, and I really do intend to keep people on their toes. Things are really just starting to get exciting.
N.W.: I have had the pleasure and privilege of working with almost every contestant from the show (...almost). I think I have maybe 9 girls that I have not worked with (YET!). And, you know, every experience is different because every girl is different. But almost every girl is fun and fabulous. And I love showing off our city and our amazing crowds to the girls. Columbus has it going on and the city has fallen in love with many of the Drag Race girls that have performed at Axis. Sure, you get a bad attitude every once and awhile, but that really is a rarity. I mean, we can dish if you wanna sometime. I do have some flawless stories. The Drag Race girls almost always come ready to play and have fun and I have made a lot of lasting friendships as a result. Season 6 has been particularly awesome, and we are still working through the roster of gals. Bianca, Milk, Adore, Vivacious, Ben, Laganja, and Joslyn are all making stops here this summer. Courtney was just here this past weekend and she really rocked it out. The crowd lived for her, and she was on top of her game. She is a star!
D.O.: Do you have any upcoming projects you'd like to tell us about?
N.W.: I am excited to start work on more puppet projects at my studio as well as begin work on a new super top secret project that should be ready just in time for the holidays. I do like the element of surprise, and I really do intend to keep people on their toes. Things are really just starting to get exciting.
Nina West’s Excellent Adventure wraps up with four shows this weekend at Axis Nightclub. Get show times and ticket info here!
