Courtney Act is not your typical drag queen: The Australian beauty is the first contender on RuPaul’s Drag Race from the Eastern Hemisphere, and recently opened the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade wearing a massive winged gown with a train that needed a dozen volunteers to help carry.

Below, Courtney talks exclusively about the differences between Aussie and American drag, the meaning of “pash,” and Boys Like Me, the cabaret show she’s bringing to New York’s Laurie Beechman Theater March 28 to 30.

Related: Courtney Act Releases “To Russia With Love” For Valentine’s Day: LISTEN