If one of your favorite pastimes is browsing through the latest Netflix series, then there’s no doubt that you’ve heard of Lea DeLaria, who rose to fame for her role in “Orange is the New Black.”
“Orange is the New Black,” a Netflix original series, premiered July 2013. Inspired by Piper Kerman’s memoir, “Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison,” the show follows Piper Chapman, a woman in her thirties who has a loving fiancé and career. As her past catches up to her, it’s revealed that she must spend the following months in an all-women’s prison as a consequence of helping her ex-girlfriend, Alex Vause (Laura Prepon) smuggle drug money. With its continuing seasons, the show has begun to focus more and more on the surrounding inmates and their individual stories. Amongst these women is Big Boo, a confident and sarcastic inmate, portrayed by Lea DeLaria.
Lea DeLaria is an American comedian who rose to fame by being the first openly gay comic on television in America and takes pride in being a “professional lesbian.” She’s had featured roles in sitcom shows like “Friends” and “Law and Order: SVU” where she plays the same type of character: a lesbian who inappropriately hits on straight women. In addition to her television career, she has also made many appearances in shows on and off Broadway including touring in both “Dos Lesbos” and “Girl Friday.”
Despite her prosperous career as a comedian, DeLaria is also a jazz musician and has performed in many prestigious locations including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. She currently has five jazz albums released along with two CD recordings of her comedy performances from the nineties. DeLaria has also released her own book, titled “Lea’s Book of Rules for the World.”
This Friday, March 3, Lea DeLaria will be gracing the stage of Rudder Auditorium at Texas A&M University. Her show, “Lea DeLaria: A Man For All Seasons,” will begin at 7pm. Tickets are free and available in person or by calling the MSC Box Office. They cannot be bought online, and there is a maximum amount of five tickets per person.
