Rising drag artist Jamila Rivera is the modern Maxie Oh

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MANILA, Philippines – The beloved queer icon Maximo Oliveros is now all grown-up and she’s here for a dazzling return as Maxie Oh in Dalaga na si Maxie Oliveros: A Drag Musical Extravaganza! 

Breathing new life into this personality is the equally “paandar, palaban, and pasabog” Jamila Rivera, a rising drag artist from Naga City.

Just in time for Pride Month, this bold sequel to the award-winning queer, coming-of-age film, Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros, will run from June 13 to 22 at Illumination Studio in Makati City.

But who is the rising star behind the glitter and glam? Here’s a closer look at Jamila Rivera’s journey and inspirations, and what it means to bring life to Maxie at the heart of Pride Month.

A glamorous reflection

When asked about the personality she channels to bring Maxie to life, Jamila said it’s her determination that allows her to identify so well with the queer icon.

A 25-year-old college student from Naga City, Jam Rivera is a fresh talent who found a new persona within her as Jamila. 

As a drag artist, she’s known for her big and wavy Hollywoodesque hair and a talent in singing and hitting high notes.

“I saw the call for auditions on Facebook and that immediately grabbed my attention. I said, ‘Oh my God, this is me. This is for me,’” Jamila said.

Everything just resonated with her — the film, Maxie, drag, the audition being for a theater musical. Jamila knew she had to give it a try, even if it meant shelling out money to fly to Manila.

Here’s a little spoiler: Maxie is set to discover the world of drag in the musical, and quite similar to her, Jamila just recently started her drag career.

NEW STORY. ‘Dalaga na si Maxie Oliveros’ follows the glitter, glam, and grit of a 17-year-old Maxie (left).

Set five years later from the original film, Dalaga na si Maxie Oliveros invites viewers to navigate love, identity, and resilience together with the beloved queer character and her drag sisters.

“I think it’s quite easy for me to portray Maxie because we’re the same on so many levels. She’ll discover the world of drag and learn about this new identity of hers, and I’m a drag artist who’s still discovering myself,” Jamila said.

She also shared that Maxie finds a new family among her drag sisters in the musical, which is the same for her when she found her drag sisters back in Naga.

“There couldn’t be a more perfect time for this opportunity to come to me,” she added.

The makings of Jamila

Being an AB Communication student at Ateneo de Naga University, art was already familiar to Jamila. She is part of the university theater organization, Dulaang Agabaab, where she regularly performs at school events.

Before discovering the world of drag and ‘Jamila’, theater was Jam’s outlet for her talents. She said she has always loved singing at a young age, but developed her acting skills through theater organizations.

“I really wanted to be a performer and an artist, and I knew I was gay since I was a little kid,” shared Jam.

It’s almost as if her background foretold that Jamila will soon be born.

“Jamila debuted on June 30, 2024, and it was a very memorable event for me because I performed at a Pride Month drag event in Naga organized by Bicol Drag PH,” Jam said.

Bicol Drag PH is an organization founded by Arnel Tolete Jr. and started it with Jam, her drag sisters, and their friends who love the art of drag. They wanted to build a community of drag fans and artists across Bicol.

At first, in 2023, Jam was just helping organize events. Slowly, she found herself performing live songs — with a little makeup here and a glamorous outfit there, as an opening performance for drag queens.

“One of my drag sisters told me about Maxie Andreison who won the latest season of Drag Race PH, and I was surprised to learn that she’s a live singing drag queen! I was really inspired because I used to think that drag queens only lip-sync,” Jam told Rappler.

After this epiphany, Jam incorporated everything needed to bring Jamila to life, from lashes up to wigs, to accessories, all with the help of her drag sisters.

As a supportive community, Jam said that borrowing items was never an issue among the drag queens of Bicol Drag PH. 

“They even offered to do my makeup, and I guess I can say that my drag persona, Jamila, is each and every one of them,” she added.

Wearing Maxie’s heels

“To portray one of the most beloved Filipino queer icons is definitely an honor, but also a challenge to do Maxie’s story justice because it tells the stories of real people and their experiences,” Jamila said, believing that many will relate to the theater musical.

More than just a sequel, Dalaga na si Maxie Oliveros will show performances that unfold in and around the audience, blurring the lines between stage and seat in an intimate, interactive celebration of queer joy, survival, and transformation. It’s part drag show, part musical, part rallying cry.

PRIDE MONTH. The musical tackles issues that surround the LGBTQIA+ community.

According to the musical director and Philippine Educational Theater Association president Melvin Lee, they want to show the human side of drag performance.

“There’s a person behind the façade and beyond the fabulosity. Every performance that they do is actually their expression and statement to whatever context they are in. They bring their personal landscape and I want to showcase that truth and rawness,” he explained.

And Jamila beautifully captured the rawness that Lee was looking for.

During her audition, she sang Regine Velasquez’s “Araw-Gabi” in full glam: the way Jamila the drag queen would’ve performed it. But Lee asked her to tone down the glamour and sing it again as if she’s facing a loved one, professing her love.

“Now that I will be playing Maxie, it’s both a privilege and a responsibility because the name Maxie is very iconic in queer culture,” Jamila said, citing the original film and the continuation of Maximo Oliveros’ story, as well as Maxie Andreison who won Drag Race Philippines Season 3.

In this part of her career as an artist and performer, Jamila aims to push herself to portray Maxie’s story “as accurate as possible.” She believes that theater is more than just a performance; it’s a storytelling act.

According to her, the musical will bare Maxie’s heart as a 17-year-old who has had an eventful past, where the audience will be able to step directly into her glitter-filled, heartbreak-prone, and fabulously complicated world.

While this role gives Jamila a bit of a challenge, she noted that it has already been rewarding so far.

“As a provincial artist, it’s quite difficult to enter this industry. Getting this role has given me a chance to be part of another community here in Manila,” she said.

Jamila will be working with some of the country’s top drag performers: Zymba Ding, Corazon, MRS TAN, and Winter Sheason Nicole, alongside equally talented actors Jem Manicad, Gerhard Krystoppher, and Gabriel Villaruel.

DRAG SISTERS. Jamila Rivera (fourth from left) performs with some of the country’s top drag artists.

Like the musical’s Maxie Oh, this journey is also a self-discovery for Jamila.

“These drag queens have been through a lot and gained many experiences. The more I interact with them, the more I connect with them, and in turn, I know myself a little better than before,” she shared.

Playing soon

The new musical builds on the legacy of Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros, the 2005 award-winning film that first introduced Maxie to the world.

This was followed by the 2013 hit Maxie the Musical which had an exuberant yet tender take on the queer coming-of-age experience. 

CELEBRATION. ‘Dalaga na si Maxie Oliveros’ is more than just a Pride celebration — it’s a powerful, joy-filled platform that amplifies LGBTQIA+ voices.

Ado Villanueva, Air Paz, Gerald Magallanes, Honey Bravo, Jay Cortez, Marit Samson, Misha Fabian, and Robert Macaraeg round out the powerhouse ensemble.

It is directed by Melvin Lee, written by Julia Icawat Enriquez and Mikaundre Gozum Santos, with musical direction, arrangement, and additional original songs by JJ Pimpinio.

The drag musical — produced by J+Productions under special arrangements with the original filmmakers and Ticket2Me and line produced by PETA Plus — also aims to amplify LGBTQIA+ voices and offer a safe space to challenge societal norms and promote radical love.

This production partners with Pantay, a dynamic youth-led movement dedicated to advancing equality and human rights. As the beneficiary, Pantay will receive a portion of the proceeds to fuel their crucial efforts in advocating for gender-transformative legislation and fostering safe, inclusive spaces for everyone.

Tickets, priced at 2,500, are available via Ticket2Me. – Rappler.com

Visit the musical’s social media pages: https://web.facebook.com/dalaganasimaxie, https://www.instagram.com/dalaganasimaxie/, and https://x.com/dalaganasimaxie; or Manila Concert Scene’s website for more details.