July 25, 2021
Watch: Tina Burner Reimagines 'Rose's Turn' Plus 9 More Must-See Versions
Matthew Wexler READ TIME: 1 MIN.
Tina Burner burned hot and fast on season 13 of "RuPaul's Drag Race," ranking seventh place in a season that saw Symone take the crown>. But the embers never entirely went out, and Burner has been hard at work since appearing on the show.
Based in New York City, Burner has been working the club scene for more than a decade, with Broadway just a stone's throw away. Leaning into her passion for musical theater, Burner has begun to release a series of musical remakes, bringing her signature spark to some of Broadway's most iconic songs.
Her latest video release, "Rose's Turn," pays homage to the Tony Award-winning musical "Gypsy." Featuring music by July Styne, lyrics by a young Stephen Sondheim and a book by Arthur Laurents, the musical has become part of the great Golden Age of American musicals. However, it failed to win a single Tony Award for the original production starring Ethel Merman.
Subsequent revivals have revealed the show's potency and resiliency, with Angela Lansbury (1975), Tyne Daly (1990), and Patti LuPone (2008) winning Tony's for their portrayal of the ultimate stage mother, Rose, and Bernadette Peters (2003) receiving a nomination in a stark production directed by Sam Mendes. A made-for-television production starred Bette Midler, recently named a Kennedy Center honoree.
Is the world ready for a drag Rose? Tina Burner hopes so.
Here's a look at other ovation-worthy renditions of "Rose's Turn."
Which is your favorite?
Think you can do a better rendition?
Matthew Wexler is EDGE's Senior Editor, Features & Branded Content. More of his writing can be found at www.wexlerwrites.com. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @wexlerwrites.