By Denny Patterson

Two-time SAG award winning actress Lea DeLaria may be best known for her stand-out role as Carrie ‘Big Boo’ Black in the hit Netflix series Orange Is the New Black, but her multifaceted career has, in fact, spanned decades.

Lucky for us, we will have the chance to see DeLaria up close and personal on November 9, 2024 as she performs alongside the South Florida Pride Concert Band during a one-night-only engagement. Featuring several jazz and Broadway selections, as well as DeLaria’s sharp wit and vocal talents, audiences are in for a special treat that they will regret missing out on.

An Evening with Lea DeLaria will be performed at the Broward Center’s Armaturo Theater, and OutClique had the opportunity to chat more with the queer icon about her upcoming engagement, being unapologetically herself, and portraying butch lesbians authentically. 

Denny Patterson: Hi, Lea! How excited are you for your upcoming performance with the South Florida Pride Concert Band?

Lea DeLaria: I always love doing a concert with a band in whatever shape! I just love being able to sing my face off. It makes me very, very, very happy.

Denny Patterson: What can we expect?

Lea DeLaria: This is the one where it’s just me and the band, so I’m not bringing my trio with me or anything else. I’ve talked with the musical director a bit about different tunes we wanted to do, so I’ll be doing stuff from my canon. You’ll hear jazz, you’ll hear Broadway, and of course, I’m going to be funny!

Denny Patterson: Performing for live audiences, what do you always hope they take away from your sets?

Lea DeLaria: Don’t judge a butch by its cover. That has literally been my entire life’s work. In life and in the media, we have been represented in such stereotypical ways. Butch people are stupid. Butch people beat their wives. Butch people are truck drivers and don’t know anything about sports. However, I am here to say that butch people are good at everything. We pride ourselves in it. We do everything, and we’re good at everything. When I’m standing up on stage, I can have either a funky, vintage style, or I could be dressed in a classic, perfectly tailored men’s suit. And don’t be surprised when I belt a D sharp! I’ve starred in a couple Broadway shows. I can belt a D sharp, and don’t be surprised when I start blowing over changes like freaking Ella Fitzgerald, because I am a jazz singer as well. I’m also a lesbian comic, so don’t be surprised if I say some crass words. I try to incorporate everything when I am on stage.

Denny Patterson: Have you always had this sense of being unapologetically yourself?

Lea DeLaria: Yes, and I think that’s because of my parents. My father was a jazz musician, and my mother was a dancer. They encouraged me to follow my dreams and they were always there for me. I don’t mean to compare myself to Shirley Chisholm, but when I was 14 years old, Shirley Chisholm ran for president, and I remember her saying, somebody’s gotta do it. Somebody’s got to be the first, and that always stuck with me. So, I never cared much. I know this sounds weird, but I never really wanted to be famous. I didn’t chase this because I wanted to be famous. I do this because it’s what I love to do. I lead a very charmed life, and I know a lot of people can’t say that. Entertaining people is the only thing I ever wanted to do, but it was always important to me to be unapologetically myself. Every morning when I wake up, I want to look in the mirror and like who I see. Growing up in the 60s and early 70s, I thought there was nobody else like me, and I’m surprised that many people still feel that way today. I receive messages from kids saying, I thought I was the only one, but then I saw you. I never thought I would ever achieve this amount of fame, but being myself and knowing that I am inspiring others is very important to me. 

Denny Patterson: I’ve seen so much of your work in film and television, but I honestly forgot that you are also a jazz singer. 

Lea DeLaria: Oh, yeah! My dad was a jazz pianist. He taught me how to read music, music theory, and encouraged me to sing. He really wanted me to play piano, but of course, I couldn’t be bothered (laughs). Now, I wish I could go back in time to when I was six years old and learn the piano because I would be doing so much more! But when it came to my singing, he taught me a few things. He said, you have to sound like yourself. Don’t try to sound like everybody else, and you have to sing from your gut. He didn’t want me to be a pretty chick singer with a pleasant voice. He wanted me to be a musician, and I’ve always taken that with me whenever I’m on stage. Again, it’s part of being unapologetically me. This is how I sing,  and this is what I sound like. 

Denny Patterson: I’d like to talk a bit more about representing the LGBTQ+ community and portraying butch lesbians in an authentic light. We truly saw that in Orange Is the New Black with your character, Big Boo. How would you view the show’s legacy? 

Lea DeLaria: For one, it changed the face of television. That is a given. If there was no Orange Is the New Black, there would be no “Me Too” movement. Do you see all these women producers, directors, writers, and showrunners now? None of that would have happened without Orange Is the New Black. Same with trans and queer representation. It changed the face of television and the industry. However, we’ve got to be careful because that pendulum is starting to swing back again. We’ve got to watch it, stay strong, and stay on point. Don’t let them castrate women as lesbians. I find that the L in the queer alphabet is probably the most downtrodden letter. People don’t tend to have our back the way we have always had yours. Try casting a non-trans person in a trans role and see what happens. Try casting a non-gay man in a gay role and see what happens, but you let any pretty girl play a lesbian. The reality is, if you want a pretty lesbian, there’s a million of them out there acting. Two, they don’t truly know what it’s like to be us. Do you know what it’s like to come home after being out all day, close your door, lock it behind you, and go, wow, I made it? Nobody harassed me today. Nobody tried to beat me up. Nobody called me a homophobic slur. Today was a good day. There’s always that little nickeling in the back of a queer person’s mind, and I don’t think heterosexuals understand that because they have all that straight privilege. It should be incorporated into these roles and characters.

Denny Patterson: Are you currently working on any film or TV projects?

Lea DeLaria: I’m starring in a movie called Holy Irresistable, which recently started streaming on Amazon, and it’s an adorable little comedy. Very rarely do you hear me say this, but I am so proud of my work in this. After having everything I just said, I play a straight girl (laughs). But look, at least they’re finally giving me that chance! I play a straight woman who’s dying of cancer, and it’s a kind of indictment on our healthcare system, as well as the world of religion. It reminds me very much of the John Hughes movies from way back when. I think everyone will love this movie, and I also started a  residency at 54 Below here in New York City. I’ll be there on the second Sunday of every month, and the show is called Brunch Is Gay. Best part is that it’s a different show every month. Different guests, different themes, so please come and check that out. Lastly, I’m the executive producer of a movie called Possum, which is premiering at a lot of different film festivals. It’s a short about a bunch of lesbians in a commune, and they’re all vegan. They accidentally kill a possum, and hilarity ensues!