Dixie’s Tupperware Party On Tour Review at Washington DC’s Kennedy Center

The Overture Center

Everyone these days is familiar with Tupperware, or at least the kinds of plastic containers that are used to store leftovers that have been knocked off from the popular brand and are just generically referred to as Tupperware. They aren’t! But how many people today are familiar with the concept of a Tupperware Party? These gatherings of family, friends and neighbors of a local housewife were super popular starting in the 1950s but began to become less common heading into the 1990s. It was always a treat to be invited to have some beverages and light snacks and learn all about the joys of keeping food fresher longer. And every sale earned the hostess of the party some money, enough that some even made careers out of hosting Tupperware Parties. But as time marched on and technology began to make it possible for people to gather virtually without leaving their homes, Tupperware Parties began to be replaced by virtual parties while some subverted the entire party process altogether and just took orders from their own websites. That certainly won’t do!

Dixie Longate from Mobile, Alabama aims to bring the joy of the Tupperware Party back in fashion with several hundred of her closest friends each night when she hosts Dixie’s Tupperware Party, currently playing at Washington DC’s Kennedy Center. Now you might think a show like this at a theatre that charges admission is going to be a scripted comedic performance. And it is. But don’t get it twisted — this is a real Tupperware Party as well. You get a new Tupperware catalog and order form upon entrance to the theatre, and while Dixie does her thing she’s also showing off some of her favorite Tupperware products and helpfully including the order number on a large video screen behind her. And there are some truly remarkable items on display like a magical corkscrew, a tumbler with a lid that seals itself when the straw is removed, collapsible containers, and a miraculous can opener. And there’s audience participation as well as a non-scripted question and answer session that keeps Dixie on her toes. One of the funniest moments of the show we attended came when Dixie was demonstrating a lettuce crisper, and asking the audience what was the main component of a salad someone responded, ‘Water.’ It felt totally unexpected and became a running gag throughout the rest of the show (but if you attend the show and that happens again, let us know!). Between that and the free-for-all Q&A session, Dixie proves she is quick of wit and has immense knowledge of the products.

But Dixie’s not the suburban housewife she appears to be. The show also delves into how Dixie got drawn into selling Tupperware, why she needed this job, which is presented in a totally comical fashion, but toward the end she pulls on the heartstrings when discussing some ‘real’ trauma in her life that helps make Dixie feel even more authentic. We have to remember she is a character, but Dixie Longate is also a real Tupperware representative … and she has the video to prove it. In addition to Dixie’s story, she also gives us some history of the Tupperware products and the woman who created the concept of the Tupperware Party, Brownie Wise, after she saw a wondrous bowl sitting on a store shelf in the 1950s, purchasing it and then showing it off to all of her friends at home. Ms. Wise, just an average consumer, tried to convince the Tupperware bigwigs this was how they could sell their product but she was pooh-poohed because … she was a woman. But she proved it could be done and was eventually hired by the company and became their Vice President. So in the end, this is Brownie Wise’s story just as much as it’s Dixie Longate’s — a story of female empowerment and the two words anyone should say when they’re told they’re not enough … well, you’ll have to let Dixie tell you what those words are herself.

Now to pull back the curtain a bit. Dixie Longate is the creation of Kris Anderson, whose friends dared him in 2004 to sell Tupperware in drag. Challenge accepted and Kris/Dixie became one of Tupperware’s top sellers in the US and Canada. Anderson honed the Dixie persona and created the act, performing it off-Broadway first in 2007 and earning a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Solo Performance (losing to someone named Laurence Fishburne). Dixie toured the country for twelve years, and followed Dixie’s Tupperware Party with two other shows in 2014 and 2020, and has now returned to the Tupperware Party circuit. It’s amazing how Dixie can be snarky about the product but utterly reverent of it at the same time, and if a gag doesn’t quite land as expected, she’s also not shy to shoot the audience a look of displeasure that is sure to elicit laughter and get everyone back on track. Dixie’s also not shy to drop some colorful language and double entendres (one in particular when it comes to the proper way to seal a container). This ain’t your grandma’s Tupperware Party … and don’t bring the kids either!

Dixie’s Tupperware Party is a night of fun and frivolity, laced with a touch of real emotion, and Dixie is certainly someone anyone would love to spend an evening with. You’ll laugh, you’ll learn, and by the end of the night you might even end up owning your own set of Tupperware.

Dixie’s Tupperware Party runs about 1 hour 30 minutes. Recommended for age 16 and up. This production contains adult content.

Dixie’s Tupperware Party runs through June 2 at Washington DC’s Kennedy Center Family Theater. Visit the official website for more information about other cities and dates. Use our Ticketmaster link to purchase tickets.

Dixie’s Tupperware Party

Dixie Longate

 
Check our Ticketmaster link for ticket availability.