Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Maxxx Massacre. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Maxxx, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on just happened this past February! At Harold’s Haunt, Pittsburgh’s first they-bar, I produced a show called “I Think You Should Tease” with my art collective, The Coven of Misfits. It was a draglesque comedy show based on the sketches from the sketch comedy show “I Think You Should Leave”. It was the best night of my life. Getting to share something that I love so much with an audience full of people who love it just as much as I do meant so much. Every person in that bar knew every line, every bit. The energy was magnetic. I feel so grateful that we found an audience for these niche shows we want to produce. My coven collaborators, Jami Starling and Ramona Ryder, and I are BIG nerds who get so overly excited about movies and tv shows, it’s incredible to be able hone in that passion to make something that’s for nerds like us.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Maxxx Massacre and I’m a Pittsburgh-based variety performer. I have been performing since age 12. I often say it’s my first and longest love. As soon as I found community theater, that was it for me. Nothing made me feel more alive, accepted, and seen.

I performed in musicals and plays from age 12 until graduating with a theater degree at age 22. It was my whole life. And it was really fun, until it wasn’t. I was constantly compared to others, picked a part for my appearance, and made to feel like this dream of being a performer was unattainable. I stopped performing after graduation, until I found The Junior Chamber of Commerce Players.

The JCCP is the official Rocky Horror Shadowcast of Pittsburgh. I joined at the very end of 2022, and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I always joke that I showed up and my gender was immediately revoked. Being around so many openly queer people really helped me finally see myself for who I’ve always been. I started identifying as non-binary, exploring gender, and really feeling confident on stage. I could take on so many roles regardless of gender because it’s a shadowcast- we lip sync to the movie! All of a sudden, the very limiting world of classic theater was flipped on its head and I could do and be anyone I wanted. I became limitless.

Once this door opened, I swear, doors to new opportunities never stopped appearing! Rocky led to burlesque, burlesque to drag, and then a beautiful, thriving community of queer performers in Pittsburgh. I spent the majority of last year bouncing between open stages in the city just to have the opportunity to do what I love. It’s crazy that just a year later, I’m producing my own shows!

Whenever I reflect on why I started theater, I remember that I really just wanted to play characters and be funny. My start in theater truthfully began in my neighbors basement, where my friend and I would spend most days writing scripts and playing pretend. It really warms my heart to think about how that’s pretty much what I do now.

Burlesque and drag really gave me the space to fulfill my full potential. It’s sexy, it’s silly, it’s absolutely ridiculous! Burlesque isn’t just high femme and there’s more than just drag queens and kings. As a self-proclaimed nerdlesque drag thing, I don’t always fit into people’s expectations. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

If you’re someone who doesn’t feel like they know where they belong, you’ll fit right in with the Coven of Misfits. We’re an art collective with the goal of creating space safes for local creatives to try new things or hone their craft. We host a non-competitive open stage once a month called “The Cauldron of Creativity” that allows for just that. We also host niche draglesque shows based on movies, tv shows, or other pop culture content that we’re really passionate about.

At the end of every Coven of Misfits show, the word that always comes to mind to describe exactly how the night felt “magical”. This is due large in part to my collaborators, Jami Starling and Ramona Ryder. The three of us together? Unstoppable. We have such similar creative goals and give each other the space to try new things, no matter how crazy the ideas might sound!! We hope to give that to other weirdos- a safe, magical space for anyone to try any type of variety performance they have ever thought about trying.

The Coven of Misfits also aims to give back to the community. It’s no secret that the world is not safe for the queer community right now. We refuse to be quiet about what is happening. We won’t hide away. We’re right here, like we always have been. We will continue to offer a space for our community to thrive. We are also always accepting donations on a rolling basis. If you attend any Coven of Misfits show, you can bring an item to donate (canned and dry goods, toiletries, clothing, etc.) and we’ll take it to a local organization, pantry, or shelter. All we can do right now is try to give directly to the community, and that’s our goal.

I am so proud of everything we’ve accomplished as a collective so far and look forward to us growing and creating together for a long time. This is only just the beginning.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

The goal of my creative journey right now is to create a safe, accepting space for queer people to uplift each other. There’s so much harm and hatred being aimed toward our community right now. We need a space that gives us the room to be joyful. We deserve that.

There’s so many beautiful, thriving queer spaces in Pittsburgh right now. I encourage everyone in area to go to local drag shows, poetry readings, burlesque shows, heck there’s even a local smut fan fiction open mic!! Support your local artists!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding part of being a creative for me right now would be producing shows. Every time I produce a show, I am grinning from ear to ear all night long. Every performer we’ve had for the Coven, whether that be a fully produced show or an open stage, has totally blown me away. There’s so much creativity surrounding me sometimes it’s even a little bit overwhelming! I’m never running out of inspiration. I admire the passion and drive of so many local performers. I’m very grateful to learn and grow with this community.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @maxxpgh
• Facebook: Maxxx Massacre (personal account) and Coven of Misfits (page)
• Youtube: @maxxxpgh