During the past four years, Charles Busch has performed his one-man cabaret act in just about every part of the world – from San Francisco to London, from Provincetown to Paris. On May 16, he finally gets to bring his act to Key West – a town he has loved for decades, but has seldom had a chance to visit.

Nominated for a Tony Award and the winner of several Drama Desk, Outer Circle Critics, Sundance Film Festival and MAC Cabaret Awards, Charles Busch is a highly celebrated and influential drag artist. He is the author (and often star) of “Vampire Lesbians of Sodom,” “The Divine Sister,” “The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife,” “Psycho Beach Party” and the soon-to-be-produced at the Waterfront Playhouse, “Die, Mommie, Die!”

Charles started performing right out of college and honed his craft during nine long years on the road – performing in every bar, nightclub and theater that he could book. “It was a bit like Vaudeville – a different town every night,” Charles told us. “I got a lot of great reviews and a following in each city but it wasn’t an easy way to make a living. During the dry spells, I’d go back to New York and work as a receptionist in a zipper factory.

“But I never doubted for a moment that I would have a career. It never occurred to me to give up, not for one second. I had a truly deranged belief in myself.”

Charles’ big break came when he wrote and starred in “Vampire Lesbians of Sodom” in New York City (which he later played onstage in Key West). “After nine years, overnight I went from office temp to being able to earn my living in my chosen field. To me that was the greatest thing I could ask for.”

Although Charles’ plays range in theme from communist blacklisting in Hollywood (“Red Scare on Sunset”) to anti-Nazi resistance fighters (“The Lady in Question”), there is an underlying element that permeates much of his work – a comic celebration of classic theatre and film. “Die, Mommie, Die!” recalls the films of Lana Turner, Joan Crawford, Bette Davis and Susan Hayward. Psycho Beach Party is a parody of both 1960s psychodramas and beach party movies (and had a sold-out run at the Waterfront Playhouse in the 1990s).

“I have always had a great passion for theater and film history,” Charles explained. “As a kid, I poured over anything I could get my hands on at the Library for the Performing Arts. If you’re going to write a parody, you really need to know your source material. And I think the people in Key West appreciate this. When I performed in “Vampire Lesbians of Sodom” in Key West years ago, I was thrilled with the sophistication of the audience.”

“I’ve always had a great time in Key West and it’s wonderful returning,” Charles enthused. “And I adore Murphy Davis, who is directing the production of “Die, Mommie, Die!”at the Waterfront. We worked together many times when he was at the Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor and I have tremendous respect for his work. I also know Randy Roberts, who will be performing in this production. Randy is so talented and absolutely perfect for this part.”

In addition to this production of “Die, Mommie, Die!”, Charles will be performing his one-man cabaret show at the Waterfront, “A Divine Evening with Charles Busch.”

“My cabaret act is a bit different from what people might expect. I perform in drag but I’m really performing as myself – I’m not a character, I’m really me. After so many years, being in drag isn’t really a mask at all. In cabaret, you can’t be fake or phony, you need to connect with your audience in a genuine, intimate way. I sing a collection of my favorite songs from Sondheim to Jerome Kern and tell some very funny personal stories about my life and experiences. And my accompanist, Tom Judson, has been to Key West many times, and is a great pro and absolutely delightful onstage and off.”

“Performing this cabaret act around the world has been a dream come true for me. Everywhere I go, I meet people who have seen my work and followed my career but have never actually seen me perform live. And now I get the chance to connect with them one-on-one and it means a great deal to me.”

Don’t miss your chance to meet Charles Busch. “A Divine Evening with Charles Busch” is one performance only on May 16 at the Waterfront Playhouse in Key West. Tickets are $45.

Charles Busch’s hysterically funny melodrama, “Die, Mommie, Die!” opens on May 12 and runs through May 28. Tickets are $40.

Tickets for both events are available at www.waterfrontplayhouse.org or at 305-294-5015. Please go to the website or call the box office for details.