Christopher Hamblin
January 26, 2024
Latrice Royale
February 10, 2024
SunShine Cathedral for the Performing Arts | www.SunshineCathedral.org
By Denny Patterson
For RuPaul’s Drag Race superstar Latrice Royale and her husband Christopher Hamblin, there truly is no place like home.
The pair are set to take the stage at Fort Lauderdale’s Sunshine Cathedral, showcasing their respective productions filled with celebration, inclusivity, and pure entertainment. On January 26, 2024, Hamblin will delve into his Southern roots, exploring the theme of individuality and weaving a tapestry of songs and stories from his religious upbringing in Tennessee, while Royale is set to deliver an eclectic show on February 10 featuring live singing, lip syncing, dancing, and flag twirling. Brace yourselves, she’s ready to bring the house down!
Royale and Hamblin both took some time to talk more about their upcoming performances with OutClique.
Denny Patterson: Tell me, how excited are you both to perform at Sunshine Cathedral?
Latrice Royale: Oh, I’m extremely excited! To be in a venue where it feels like I’m actually at church and I can pursue and present my ministry, I can’t wait. I’m excited to do something a little different and fun.
Christopher Hamblin: Same here. I spent the better part of my career as a musician working in churches, and that’s not a side of myself that I usually share in my shows. I can’t really do this kind of show at, you know, Hunters (laughs). It’s not the same kind of ambience or experience, but when Rev. Dr. Durrell came to us and wanted us both to present something, I thought this would be a natural fit for me and it would open a door for me to show a different side of my artistry. So, I’m looking forward to it.
Denny Patterson: Have either of you played at Sunshine Cathedral before?
Christopher Hamblin: I once did an offertory on a Sunday when I first moved to Florida. I didn’t pursue working there much because we travel so often, and it wouldn’t have been fair to make a commitment if I wasn’t going to be there a lot. However, I think this will be Latrice’s first time performing there.
Denny Patterson: What do you both always hope audiences take away from your sets?
Latrice Royale: For me, there’s always an underlying message of self-love, the power of you, believing in yourself, and how much you can accomplish by doing so. There’s always a message of how to make you better when you present your best self.
Christopher Hamblin: Then for myself, I really try to reach out to people in my audience that I think might feel lonely. There’s a lot of people that go through life feeling that way, especially if they’re going through something, and I have been one of them. Still am on some days. So, I try to bring a little bit of my own self to what I do in a way that lets people know they’re not alone. That we can talk through this and make it through together.
Denny Patterson: Are you involved with each other’s shows?
Christopher Hamblin: I will be present for Latrice’s performance, and we are going to do some live music together. We’re working on a whole new set of stuff to do together, but Sunshine Cathedral was kind enough to ask me to do my own solo show as well. I don’t often get a chance to fully present my own work outside of collaborating with my husband, so I’m very selfishly taking this opportunity (laughs). I also make a lot of different kinds of music, and the music that I’m going to do in my solo show doesn’t naturally come to Latrice. I might convince her to come and do a special solo. You might be inspiring something! Latrice is going to go all out with her show, while I’m kind of going all in.
Denny Patterson: South Florida is also your home. How does it feel to perform in the community that you live in?
Christopher Hamblin: Oh, it’s the best feeling because we don’t get to do it a whole lot. The kind of stuff that we’ve started doing, there aren’t a lot of spaces that we honestly feel like our work fits in. Not just in Florida, but as we tour. We’re doing something outside the norm, so to do this at home, feel the support of the community, and perform at Sunshine Cathedral, which has such a long history of supporting the arts and LGBTQ+ people, combining all those things is amazing.
Denny Patterson: Besides Sunshine Cathedral, what are some other projects you’ve been working on?
Christopher Hamblin: Latrice is the one with the most going on!
Latrice Royale: (Laughs) I do. We recently wrapped up the promo shoot for We’re Here, Season 4, which comes out next year. We’re gearing up for that, and I’ve also been doing some voiceover work for a new animated series coming out on Nickelodeon. I’ve been doing a lot of different things, which is exciting. So, besides creating and writing new shows, which keeps us both very busy, I’m really trying to focus on more television and acting.
Denny Patterson: What was your experience like working on We’re Here?
Latrice Royale: The experience was amazing! Obviously, it’s a different type of television. This is a documentary style approach, so once you get into the rhythm of what you’re trying to do, the work is so palpable and important. I know I got a lot out of my experience by just letting go and really diving into it. So, I’m excited for the world to see the work that we’ve done, and I am hopeful that it’s going to make a difference. It’s a great season.
