Charles Ludlam became a pioneering figure in queer theater in the 1980s for his campy send-ups of classic works (Satyricon in Turds in Hell, Hamlet in Stage Blood) as well as Old Hollywood (like his 1984 riff on gothic horror movies, The Mystery of Irma Vep). Many of his shows were built around himself in the lead role, where he’d often dress in drag, as well as the troupe of semiprofessional actors he assembled under the Ridiculous Theatrical Company banner. But his works were so geared to his particular talents and sensibilities that few are revived on stage anymore.

Enter Eric Ting, a talented young director with a strong résumé of daring Off Broadway works such as Jackie Sibblies Drury’s We Are Proud to Present a Presentation… and last fall’s Give Me Carmelita Tropicana! He’s made some inspired decisions in resuscitating Ludlam’s 1983 paean to opera legend Maria Callas, Galas, which opened Sunday at Little Island. The first was to cast the countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo as Galas (which tellingly rhymes with Callas). Costanzo disregards the usual drag tropes to deliver a performance of an American-born soprano who also happens to be a hyperdramatic diva and is wont to stylized gestures and reactions that can be identified from the cheap seats at La Scala.

His casting also means that the character can drop the usual drag lip syncing to deliver snippets of actual arias (like “Casta diva” from Norma and “Un bel dì, vedremo” from Madame Butterfly) with a lush tone and gentle vibrato. It’s an astonishing performance, though perhaps less showy than his 2024 solo stunt at Little Island, singing all of the roles in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro.

The story remains remarkably true to the beats in Callas’ actual biography, including the rumors of tapeworm-induced weight loss, her lawsuit against a pasta company that falsely claimed credit for her slim-down, and her affair with Aristotle Onassis (here dubbed Aristotle Plato Socrates Odysseus and played with wealthy playboy charm by Caleb Eberhardt). There are other standouts in the supporting cast. Samora La Perdida turns heads as a ballroom-ready pope tricked out in one of Hahnji Jang’s couture-ish costumes; New York theater stalwart Mary Testa is a scene-stealing treat as a fictional retired opera singer turned maid/confidant to Galas; and Carmelita Tropicana brings some unexpected pathos as the diva’s devoted but all-too-easily ignored husband and manager.

Yes, the show is too long — especially for the unforgiving wood bleacher seating at the Little Island’s outdoor amphitheater. And Costanzo’s tunes sometimes prolong the evening without advancing a plot that can get rather convoluted in the middle. But just as the story threatens to turn melodramatic, a comedic bit or off-handed aside pops up to subvert our expectations. (“I really wanted to be a dentist,” our heroine tells us at one point, out of nowhere, and moments later laments, “I have no babies, I have no lover, I have no dog, I have no voice and there’s nothing good on television tonight.”) Ting’s production skillfully melds the big emotions of opera with the broad comedy of Ludlamian queer theater in a way that still resonates. And there’s something enchanting about Costanzo serenading an intimate audience under a bright September moon while summoning the memory of a woman who helped define the term diva. ★★★★☆

GALAS
Little Island, Off Broadway
Running time: 1 hour, 50 minutes (no intermission)
Tickets on sale through Sept. 28 for $10 to $25