(top) Spencer Brown, (back) J.B. McLendon, Nathan Marken, and Jeff Manabat Photo by Lois Tema

If you've never heard of the Kinsey Sicks, they are four men in drag singing tight harmonies of songs (mostly parodies, but occasionally originals) that skewer politicians, celebrities, cultural trends and, of course, themselves. Their work is clever, often bawdy, sometimes to the point of "ewww" (the parody of "Animal Crackers in my Soup" comes to mind, replacing "animal" with "enema"). The four all have voices that meld nicely, and they are surprisingly powerful in their solos.

Each of the four is a specific character: Winnie (Nathan Marken) is the leader of the group (and keeper of the pitch pipe), whose character is sort of a mother figure, keeping the other girls in line and leading the show. Angel (J.B. McLendon) is the slightly overweight member who obsesses about food. And sex. In fact, they all seem to obsess about sex, but none more so that the aptly named Trampolina (Spencer Brown), who is not only trampy but also more than slightly dim. Trixie (Jeff Manabat) is the sultry, exotic girl who fancies herself the most glamorous of the four.

The girls dish and throw shade–on each other, the audience, Republicans, anti-semites (two of the girls are Jewish, which leads to an hysterical take-off on Bobby McFerrin's big hit, remade as "Don't Be Happy–Worry!) and anybody else who deserves being taken down a notch. Their version of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" begins with the lines, "Jews better watch out, Jews better not cry...," and ends with "Santa Claus is coming." The bawdier lyrics of some of the songs include lines like "somebody's crotch over me," "sing glory hole-allujah," and (in a tune about gonorrhea) "each time your legs are parted, you'll need a flame retardant."

The entire evening is presented as a live television broadcast from the studios of station KNSY (set design by Matt Owens, nicely lit by Nic Candito), with the girls worried the incoming administration might have them cancelled, so they have to perform at their peak.

The costumes are fun and, though not quite completely over the top, are certainly near the peak. I do think a costume change during intermission would be have been fun, their rich colors, giant bows, and occasional peeks at underwear (and worse, but thankfully fake) added to the visual energy.

Although it's not specifically a holiday show, Deep Inside Tonight! is nonetheless a gift for Bay Area residents in the mood for some naughty, dishy fun."

Deep Inside Tonight! runs through January 5, 2025, at New Conservatory Theatre Center, Decker Theatre, 25 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco CA. Performances are Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm, Sundays at 2:00pm. Tickets are $32.50-$72.50 For tickets and information, please visit NCTCSF.org or by calling 415-861-8972.