Blair St. Clair’s road to ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ began at Footlite Musicals

Andrew Bryson wanted to work in musical theater, but the Indianapolis native believed his boyish looks would be a drawback when pursuing masculine roles.

Then he discovered pretty features can translate into stardom in the world of drag queens. And Blair St. Clair, Bryson's drag persona, is competing on the biggest stage within that world: Season 10 of "RuPaul's Drag Race."

St. Clair has a chance to advance as a Top 10 finalist when Thursday's episode airs at 8 p.m. on VH1.

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Without landing a part in a 2014 production of "La Cage Aux Folles" at the all-volunteer Footlite Musicals, Bryson's journey may not have led to reality TV.

Bryson's portrayal of Mercedes, one of the musical's nightclub performers, introduced him to drag culture.

The role represented Bryson's onstage ambition and his behind-the-scenes expertise preparing hair and makeup for fellow actors.

“I thought, 'I’m so in love with this. Is this a real thing?' " Bryson said during a phone interview.

Daniel Klingler, who portrayed lead character Albin in Footlite's "La Cage Aux Folles," said Bryson made a strong first impression.

"Drew naturally has softer features and is very slender," Klingler said. "This translates into a very realistic female illusion. Audience members had a hard time believing Drew was actually a man."

Bryson, a 22-year-old alum of Perry Meridian High School, then explored drag performance "at small venues for free." He learned pageant titles are the ticket to prestige among Indiana drag queens.

Success followed for Blair St. Clair, who was crowned Miss Gay Indiana 2016 at Muncie's Mark III Tap Room.

"Once you have a title of some sort, you have validation in the drag world," she said.

On "RuPaul's Drag Race," St. Clair collected high marks on the April 5 episode by ad-libbing a chocolate-bar commercial and then leading a team to victory in a larger advertising challenge.

Klingler, who works on Broadway preparing wigs for productions of "Frozen," "Aladdin" and the soon-to-premiere "Mean Girls," said St. Clair is settling in after more outspoken competitors dominated the first two episodes of the season.

"Drew is a very thoughtful and intelligent person," Klingler said. "I know he likes to observe and think before he speaks. This should help him be more calculating in the competition."

Visually, St. Clair's love for Dior-influenced fashion from the 1950s and '60s sets her apart from other contestants.

"It’s an elevated, cool, sleek look of what I think glamour is," she said.

"Drag Race" viewers know drama often arrives during "Untucked," the backstage documentary that airs each week after the main show.

"You’re unwinding, but you’re unloading at the same time," St. Clair said. " 'Hey, I need to get everything off my chest that I’m feeling and thinking.' And it’s a safe place to do that."

St. Clair said she remained on friendly terms with all the competitors. Through three episodes, "Drag Race" has not addressed an incident that brought media attention to Bryson before the season began.

TMZ.com reported he has a suspended 365-day jail sentence as a result of pleading guilty to a March 2017 DUI in Fort Wayne.

Bryson said media coverage and peer reaction to his self-described "drinking history" tempered the excitement of competing on "RuPaul's Drag Race."

"(On the show) I’m signing up for people to critique me on what I do and what I love and what I’m passionate about," he said. "I knew I had to be prepared if they were to say anything I didn’t want to hear.

"The real test of having a thick skin is what comes after: the comments, the articles, the exploitation of media. It’s having to remember at the end of the day that you are not what people think of you. I continue to try to remind myself that when I go to bed I’m not Blair St. Clair. I present myself to the world as Blair St. Clair, and what people know about Blair St. Clair is what TV or the media shows them."

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Call IndyStar reporter David Lindquist at (317) 444-6404. Follow him on Twitter: @317Lindquist.

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