The queens tackled one of the biggest challenges of the season: The Rusical! This time, the musical was inspired by Wicked, The Wiz, and The Wizard of Oz. As I mentioned last week, The Rusical is one of the "Big Four" maxi challenges alongside The Ball, Snatch Game, and the upcoming Makeover Challenge. Winning this challenge cements a queen as a true powerhouse in the competition.
Going into this episode, I had high hopes for Jewels Sparkles and Sam Star. Jewels has the camp and theatrics that fit well in a musical setting, while Sam had the potential to break out of her mold and show something new. On the other hand, I was curious to see if Acacia Forgot and Suzie Toot would deliver, given their strong desire to play Kansas Dorothy.
The Wicked Wiz of Oz The Rusical
As expected, drama unfolded as the queens picked their roles:
Acacia Forgot - Kansas Dorothy
Onya Nurve - Harlem Dorothy
Suzie Toot - The Green Witch
Sam Star - The Wicked Witch
Jewels Sparkles - The Good Witch
Arrietty - Scarecrow
Lexi Love - Lioness
Lana Ja'Rae - Tin Woman
Lydia B Kollins - Flying Monkey 1
Kori King - Flying Monkey 2
The biggest conflict was over Kansas Dorothy, with Acacia, Suzie, and Sam all wanting the role. Lexi played peacemaker, convincing Sam to break out of her comfort zone as The Wicked Witch. Acacia and Suzie continued to battle over Kansas Dorothy, but Lexi once again intervened, pointing out that Suzie had gotten every role she wanted so far. Begrudgingly, Suzie relented, allowing Acacia to take the lead role.
Another mini-drama brewed between Jewels and Kori, both vying for The Good Witch. While Kori had the padding and body-ody-ody, Jewels just is that character, and ultimately, she won the part.
Runway: "Parasol, The Shady Lady"
This week's runway theme was all about parasols, and my top three looks were:
Lexi Love – The reveal was everything! The parasol doubling as her hat, with the handle as a cane? Genius.
Sam Star – She wore her momma’s dress, and the matching parasol, dress, and gloves made for an elegant and polished look.
Lydia B Kollins – A similar vibe to Sam's but with Lydia’s signature messy charm. It was chaotic in the best way possible.
Rusical Performance
This season's Rusical did not disappoint! Each year, the production quality and performances keep improving, and this time was no exception. Most of the queens delivered, making it a tough call on who would land in the bottom.
Acacia’s performance as Kansas Dorothy was a mixed bag. She took a serious approach, which I understood, but the judges wanted more camp. Had she leaned into the melodrama—crying, wailing, and full drag exaggeration—she could have elevated her performance.
Kori, on the other hand, was the clear weak link. While everyone else stood out in their own way, she failed to bring enough presence. The only other queen I could see in the bottom was Arrietty, as she faded into the background.
Jewels was my personal pick for the win—her performance was dynamic, funny, and memorable—but I understand why Sam won. She stepped out of her comfort zone and truly transformed into her character.
Lip Sync & Elimination
The bottom two were Acacia Forgot vs. Kori King. Both did a decent job in the lip sync, but ultimately, someone had to go. We said goodbye to Acacia Forgot, and now we’re down to the final nine queens.
Final Thoughts
With single-digit queens left, the competition is on! Next week is another design challenge, and the queens will be creating looks for the legendary Betsey Johnson. Expect the fashion girls to fight for another win! Who will rise, and who will sew their way into a disaster? Let’s find out next week!
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