Drag superstar Sasha Velour 'Reveals' Berkeley homecoming with new show

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- She is one of the most recognized and celebrated drag artists on the planet, best known for her surprising outfits and wig changes. "RuPaul's Drag Race" season 9 winner and Berkeley native Sasha Velour is the queen of reveals.

But on Wednesday, she was the one surprised by what was under some very raggedy wigs.

The ABC7 Mornings team recreated Velour's famous wig reveal from RuPaul's competition, where hundreds of rose petals cascade down as she lifts the hair piece to show her signature bald head. Naturally, the quick-witted Velour had an immediate retort:

"I am so honored. Imitation is the highest form of flattery. Especially, utterly failed imitations."

Velour is back in the Bay to finally perform in the place where her journey to drag stardom started.

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"I've never been booked in the East Bay before. My hometown. A homecoming," said Velour to ABC News anchor Reggie Aqui.

Velour's new production at Berkeley Rep -- "The Big Reveal Live Show!" -- plays with reveals of all types.

There are the outfit and wig reveals, of course. But, there are also the personal reveals about her Bay Area family, including the grandmother who turned out to be her first audience.

"She immigrated to escape persecution and landed in San Francisco somehow and found the gay community to be a safe space for her. In the 50s and 60s, she went out to Finnnochio's seeing drag performers. So when I started, you know, wanting to play in her heels and clip-on earrings, she understood," Velour said.

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The stage performance is based on Velour's book of the same name, which weaves her personal story with the history of drag. She was writing the piece just as legislation from around the country started targeting members of the LGBTQ community, particularly drag queens and transgender individuals.

"Queer and trans existence was becoming criminalized and questioned and seen as something unnatural for young people. So, I wanted to set the record straight. Or gay, so to speak. Very, very gay," Velour said.

The stage version of her story comes at a time when queer people are feeling even more pressure and discrimination.

"It's about freedom, self-expression and about joy, which we need now more than ever," Velour said.

"The Big Reveal Live Show!" runs at Berkeley Rep through June 15.