Special Agent Galactica holds court at the Black Fox Lounge

Special Agent Galactica, a regular on the DC club scene, seen here at the Black Fox Lounge.

Special Agent Galactica sashays up to the stage and looks out at the narrow cavern of the Black Fox Lounge. It’s go time.

For her first act, Galactica delivers American standards with a mix of irony and earnest glee.  It’s “Slow Boat to China,” “If I Only Had the Nerve,” and “Fever”—the cabaret classics that never get old.   She’s backed by the groovy rhythms of her trio, the Black Fox Band: pianist/singer Aaron Myers, bassist Percy White, and drummer Andrew X.  Tonight, she’s wearing a pastel frock with a skirt full of taffeta like a 1950s prom queen, a face shimmering with glitter, and her signature shocking-pink bob.  She calls this her “Doris Day” look.  In heels, she looks to be almost 7 feet tall.

So who is Galactica? The drag avatar of local actor and director Jeffrey Johnson, Special Agent Galactica has been wowing DC for almost 10 years.  She started as strictly drag comedy, dancing and lip-syncing, but in 2011 she made her debut as a cabaret singer, and she hasn’t looked back.  For a year and a half now she’s been belting out an eclectic mix of jazz, blues, and rock-and-roll twice a month at the Black Fox Lounge Happy Hour.

Not that she doesn’t still “have it” when it comes to lip-syncing. For her second act, Galactica gives a nod to her drag show roots with a hilarious and freakishly convincing lip-syncing set.  Tonight she gives us Kristen Chenoweth’s “Girl in 14 G” and Erykah Badu’s “Call Tyrone”.

Next, Special Agent Galactica turns over the spotlight for her special guest, The Hummingbyrds, a classic country-western duo from the co-creators of Capital Fringe’s Dizzy Miss Lizzie’s Roadside Revue. Consisting of actor/musicians Debra Buonaccorsi and Steve McWilliams, The Humminbyrds cover Linda Rondstadt and the Everly Brothers, as well as performing original material.

Galactica has shared the stage at her half-time show with a wide range of area performers, from actress and singer Lisa Carrier Baker to spoken-word poet Thomas J and classical violinist Chase Maggiano.

As if there wasn’t already enough variety, when Special Agent Galactica returns, she’s changed into a pleather minidress and is ready to rock.  Percy White straps on his electric bass and the band starts to break it down with “Come Together” and “Kiss.”  The lady really does it all.

Special Agent Galactica’s Happy Hour Show, every other Friday at the Black Fox Lounge, is an ongoing event that will keep you on your toes.  With evolving set lists and wild-card special guests, you never know what to expect.  But with the skillful Black Fox Band and their colorful, capable front-queen Gallactica, you know it’s going to be good.

Black Fox Lounge isn’t the only place you can see Jeffrey Johnson in action as Special Agent Galactica.  In July, Galactica debuted an acoustic show with jazz and classical guitarist Peter Fields.   The duo offers an intimate blend of jazz and story-telling, as Galactica fills you in on the story of her days as a Special Agent—her triumphs as a spy that can conquer space and time, and the troubles of her love-life as a woman on the go.  Galactica’s accoustic jazz show with Peter Fields will be September 29 at L’Enfant Café.

The Great American Songbook, a man in stilettos, and a hot pink bob—what’s not to love?