The Annunciation to Chad
by James Admans and Rev. Dr. Mary Barber
December 4, 2023
In the season of Dragvent, Marge & Chad wrote a script together to celebrate the Annunciation to Mary (Luke 1:26-38), queerly re-interpreted at Union Theological Seminary’s James Memorial Chapel.
MARGE: Once upon a time, in a drag world far far away but also right here, the Queer Nonbinary Spirit was cooking up a storm in the Galilean village of Nazareth, to a virgin named Mary.
CHAD: It’s Chad! And what’s this about being a virgin? Did ancient near-eastern people even care whether a man saved himself before getting married?
MARGE: OK OK, The Spirit moved to a vir---er, DRAG KING named Mary.
CHAD: It’s Chad!!! You are talking to Chad. Werk!!
MARGE: (Blows vuvuzela) Hark, honey! I'm Margiel, Divine Diva’s messenger, here with a fabulous message.
CHAD: (Raises an eyebrow) Wow, look at those disco balls!
MARGE: You know what they say, the higher the balls, the closer to God!
CHAD: Who did you say you were?
MARGE: (Snaps fingers) Honey, I'm the fabulous Margiel! I'm God's personal PA, handling all the heavenly communication up above and down below. (Points to sky, then to the ground) And I've got some juicy news for you!
CHAD: Aren't you the celestial being responsible for rendering my cousin Elizabeth's husband speechless? Quite freaky, I must say.
MARGE: Guilty as charged! That cishet Zechariah was in need of a little queer revelation. I might have gone a wee bit overboard. But don't worry, his voice will come back.
CHAD: (Crosses arms, looks Marge up and down) Well, Margiel, you certainly know how to make an entrance. What brings you to my humble abode? And please, don't tell me you've come to confiscate my voice too. I need it for my karaoke night at Ruth's Rainbow Room.
MARGE: Oh honey, I’ve come to tell you, you're not just beautiful, you're drop-dead gorgeous with God's finest touch. Beautiful in and out. You're a divine masterpiece. May God's exquisite taste always be with you.
CHAD: Um ok, thank you for the compliments. But honestly, I am still a bit shooketh. I’m pondering, what kind of message is this? Can we cut to the chase?
MARGE: Darling, you are blessed among drag kings! You're going to birth the biggest star of all time, honey, the one and only Jesus!
CHAD: Wait, what? I'm a drag king, not a drag queen. Is there a maternity clause in my contract? How can this be, for I am a man?
MARGE: (Laughs) Are you doubting the power of the Divine Diva? Gurl, I mean Dude, if the Queer Nonbinary Spirit could do it for that postmenopausal cousin of yours, it can happen for you too! Let the Spirit move! The same Spirit that finally expelled that ridiculous fraudulent queer from the House of Representatives. Let her drive all your doubts away!
CHAD: You have a point there, Margiel. I didn’t think that guy would ever go away!
MARGE: You just have to believe in the power of love, TRANSformation, and a little bit of heavenly glitter! (blows glitter)
CHAD: (Blinks, wipes glitter off face) So, let me get this straight, I mean -- what am I talking about? Nothing about this is straight! The Queer Nonbinary Spirit is going to come upon me? I swear, the things a guy does for a good show.
MARGE: Yes, honey -- I mean, yes, very masc-appearing sultry dude. The child you will bring forth will be called Holy. The marquee will sparkle with their name! And the audiences – from queens to kings to sheep – they will all be gagging on the eleganza of your divine child – God in drag is coming to town. Truly, a divine gig like no other! Nothing will be impossible for the Diva!
CHAD: Yes, I see it now: I'm the Divas leading man, and I’m ready for my spotlight. Let it be with me just as you spill that heavenly tea, Marge. (Puts on sunglasses) After all, if anyone can carry this divine gig, it’s Chad.
MARGE: The Spirit is doing something transformative here, Chad. Lukse Schotroff writes that the annunciation poses the possibility that a woman can procreate without a man. She further states, “An analysis of patriarchy has to critique both the notion of divine conception and enlightened biology.”
CHAD: But I am a man.
MARGE: Of course. Anyhoo, it’s all there in Lydia’s impatient sisters, which you can get at at the Burke Library. Of course, I have it all in the cloud (points up).
MARGE: Then the angel sashayed away.