People Magazine interview with Joey McIntyre

Joey McIntyre Jokes About Being the 'Stereotypical Straight Guy' in Off-Broadway's Drag: The Musical (Exclusive)

The New Kids on the Block singer opens up to PEOPLE about his role in the new production, now playing at the New World Stages in New York City

By

Sonal Dutt

         Alaska Thunderf**k, Joey McIntyre and Nick Adams star in "Drag: The Musical" . 

        Photo: Bruce Glikas/Getty

Joey McIntyre was just six years old when he first stepped into the spotlight at the Footlight Club in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston, and sang “Gary, Indiana" from The Music Man. He didn't know it at the time, but that performance would chart the path for his nearly 40-year career on the stage.

"It was just for fun and my family used to do community theater, but I remember it was like something clicked and I knew I wanted to do it again," McIntyre, 51, tells PEOPLE during an exclusive interview. "What can I say: I'm a theater kid, and always have been one."

His professional life has taken him to stages of all shapes and forms: from touring the world with boyband powerhouse New Kids on the Block to acting in popular movie and TV roles to performing in musical theater productions in New York and Los Angeles.

The latest gig: A starring role in Drag: The Musical, a raucous, wig-tactic, off-Broadway show about two drag queens and their rival clubs that go head-to-head for survival amidst financial troubles. McIntyre plays Tom Hutchinson, a tightly-wound, emotionally guarded accountant — "the stereotypical straight guy," he says — and a foil to the larger-than-life cast of drag queens, including RuPaul’s Drag Race alums Alaska Thunderf**k, Jujubee, Luxx Noir London and Jan Sport as well as drag artist Lagoona Bloo and Broadway vet Nick Adams.

He even gets his own "I'm Just Ken"-like song, aptly titled "Straight Man" 

McIntyre says he was drawn to the role immediately. "I heard the music and it was just great. I mean, the soundtrack is so quality and so fun, and that was it for me," he says. "So I was like, 'heck yeah!'"

Originating the role, which he also performed in L.A., has allowed him to work on molding and bringing the Tom character to life.

"I tried to advocate for Tom to be that fish out of water, and not only being that stereotypical straight man. Yes, he's uncomfortable in this [drag queen] world, but being uncomfortable doesn't make him homophobic. It's not all black and white, and I think portraying him brings the grayness, which I think is important. He just needs to learn and be open to understanding, and eventually he is and does," says McIntyre, who will perform in the show until Dec. 9.

He continues: "There's tons of diversity within this LGBTQ+ community. And I want people to come to the show and see themselves up there and identify with different characters so that they can maybe safely, gently recognize some of the faux pas, instincts or prejudices without it being dangerous."

Joey McIntyre performs "Straight Man" in "Drag: The Musical".

Bruce Glikas/Getty

The role also allows McIntyre to flex his powerful voice and range. The Broadway and Off-Broadway veteran — who has appeared in productions of Waitress, Wicked and Tick Tick ... Boom! — attacks his standout satirical number "Straight Man" with passion as he sings about a guy's love of Star Wars, mustangs, Pearl Jam and beer in a can.

"It's really a fun song to sing," he says. "We've been calling it a palate cleanser because it comes out of nowhere but, so far, everyone has been loving it. It's so smart and witty, but it's also great songwriting at its core."

While McIntyre is "extremely proud" of this production of Drag, which is now playing at the New World Stages in New York City and recently brought on Liza Minnelli as a producer, he admits that it's come with some sacrifices — including time away from his family based in Los Angeles.

"I'm this theater kid, and you can't do theater in New York without being in New York doing theater. So here I am, 3,000 miles away from my family, and it's a commitment," he says. "It's thrilling and wonderful to originate a role on or off-Broadway but, at the same time, it's eight shows a week so it's meant being away for long stretches."

McIntyre has been married to his wife Barrett since 2003, and the couple have three children together: Griffin, 16, Rhys, 14, and Kira, 13.

"I'm so lucky that my amazing wife is letting me live out my dreams. It's not easy having three kids at home and your husband on the other side of the country, but she knows this is my dream — and she's letting me follow it," he says. "That's how much I believe in this show."

The musical isn't the only thing on McIntyre's plate.

This winter, he'll be starring in Jingle Bell Love, a new Christmas movie for The Roku Channel that premieres on Monday, Nov. 18. And as a holiday treat, he's also written and will perform a new original song for the flick called “A Brand New Christmas," which, he says, will be released soon — along with possible future new music on the horizon.

"I know that our music will move audiences, especially Joey’s original song ‘A Brand New Christmas,’ and that Jingle Bell Love will bring some real magic into people’s lives this Christmas," his costar Heartland's Michelle Morgan said in a statement at the time.

And, of course, there's his other day job.

In May the New Kids on the Block released Still Kids, their first studio album in 11 years, and toured the country on their 2024 Magic Summer Tour. Next year, NKOTB — along with McIntyre's bandmates Danny Wood, Donnie Wahlberg and brothers Jordan and Jonathan Knight — will embark on their first Las Vegas residency, performing a series of shows at Dolby Live at Park MGM beginning June 20, 2025.

"There's a lot going on and it's all exciting, but I know it's a process," says McIntyre. "I'm really thankful and satisfied with everything right now. That's a good place to be, I think. There's a lot to look forward to."