Leslie Jordan.

Will & Grace fans know Leslie Jordan as Beverley Leslie, but the actors wicked Southern drawl first reached national audiences in the 2000 cult film Sordid Lives, playwright Del Shores's white trash comedy. Now all six of Shores's plays are being restaged for A Season of Shores at Los Angeles's Zephyr Theatre. Jordan is reprising roles he originally played onstage in two shows, Sordid Lives (through April 2) and Southern Baptist Sissies (through April 23).

How do you separate Sissies" Peanut from Sordids Brother Boy?

There's an innocence to [Brother Boy] that I fall into real easily. Peanut is so jaded. He's closer to me-I'm a recovering alcoholic. I really did sit [at a hustler bar] with a drink and a checkbook. People would say, "You ought to go to [a bar with] better rent boys." I'd say, "No, honey. I like these bargain-basement boys. I'm not going to spend $200."

What's it like to return to these roles?

It's the first time I've ever performed Brother Boy onstage sober. It's really interesting to be completely sober and present,

How is the stage different from taping Will & Grace?

[Will & Grace is] just a party. I'm just having a ball.

How do the fans treat you?

What amazes me with Will & Grace fans is how young they are and how straight they are. The guys always come up and go, "You are so funny on that show. My girlfriend watches that show." [Laughs]

Any "sordid" stories from the return engagement?

Well, I do have one: I have to shave myself for my Brother Boy role because I'm hairy as a monkey. So I went out to Palm Springs this weekend and hired several young men to shave me--just to shave met So I'm slick, and I'm ready.

--Interviewed by Darren Frei. For more go to Advocate.com.