Hi there Nancy! I’m glad I was able to tear you away for a hot minute from your preparation for this upcoming event of yours tomorrow night.
It’s really no problem. There’s only so much E6000 I can take before I need a break. Thank you for having me.
So let’s cut right the chase, shall we? A drag pageant in the Berkshires? Say what??
Right?! I couldn’t be more excited that it’s happening. My two year dragiversary is coming up, and I wanted to be really extra with it. Really see how big I could make the event.
Well happy dragiversary! So what made you decide to bring drag pageantry to the mountains?
About a year and a half ago, I moved out of Brooklyn and took a job out in the Berkshires working at a regional theatre. It was a huge shift for me person-wise, career-wise, drag-wise, just in so many ways. And one thing I knew I wanted to keep doing is my drag. It’s funny, moving helped me realize how important drag was to be. But what so interesting is the Berkshires has such a small drag community and almost no gay nightlife, at least at first glance. Creating the pageant was a way for me to make drag happen for myself without having to go far, or back to NYC for a gig.
How do you think your event is going to be received?
I think it’ll go over very well! At least I assume! *Laughs* I’m on the Berkshire Pride committee, and speaking to my friends I’ve made there they’ve told me how they’ve been wanting to see more drag out here. And it definitely has started with other shows, the spark is there. I just plan to fan the flame, so to speak.
So tell us a little bit about the Miss “Nogood” Drag Pageant.
The Miss Nogood Drag Pageant is a one night only event that is bringing some of the most unique drag to the Berkshires. I’m a punk queen at heart, and a real fan for anything that’s off-the-wall and rough around the edges, and a pageant that I’m creating would be no different. These queens are going to giving their best Pageant Punk to the stage. So basically Toddlers & Tiaras, but if Courtney Love entered Frances Bean into the competition.
*Cue Celebrity Skin*
Yes, gawd. I’ve planned to put as much Hole as possible into this event.
So….many….jokes…..
RIGHT?
But I shall resist because I’m a professional journalist!
What a true classy broad!
I try. I don’t succeed often but Cher knows I try!
Goddess Bless
You’ve managed to assemble quite the panel of judges and other talent for this event, including a couple of ladies who are very familiar to the WERRRK. com universe including OUR first ever pageant winner, the uber-talented Boxxa Vine and our DragCon duo of Gilda Wabbit and Gina Tonic!
Yes!!! Boxxa is someone I’m so happy to have become friends with here in the Berkshires. She’s been nothing but kind in helping me out here. Working with her as my co-host has us like two peas in a very fabulous pod. Gilda and Gina are just the best. I’m so fortunate to have them making the trek out here in their heels. I really have missed the NYC drag scene and having them will really be a colliding of two worlds for me.
The rest of the judges just kind of fell into place, and that goes back to beauty of this community. They want to see more drag out here. When I first met with my producing partners on this, Oskar & Mike from Only In My Dreams Events, they suggested Alison Fraser and Shawn Hollenbach. Both of them being much bigger names I didn’t think they would take. Alison was in The Secret Fucking Garden! And fresh off her off-Broadway run of Squeamish! Not to mention Shawn’s success on television and recently having a show going to Netflix. I was so so thankful that they said yes, but because they wanted to be part of an evening of outrageous drag and really making it happen in the Berks.
And then all of sudden Heather Thomson from The Real Housewives of New York was in the conversation. And she was all, “I would love to be part of something like this!” and I’m like UM OKAY!
Twist my arm why don’t you?
Yeah, right?!?!
Super tough sell!
It’s really still all so surreal that it’s coming together like this. Or maybe that’s the E6000 talking.
There is wisdom in those fumes sometimes. It’s like drag Ayahuasca I think.
I couldn’t agree with you more!
So how can people get tickets for the biggest drag pageant to ever hit the Berkshires?
There’s a few ways! You can get them directly off of our Eventbrite page here or through our Facebook event here!
Perfect! I’m sure it’s going to be a great night Nancy! In the meantime, how can people keep up with you on all the big social media places, you know, like Live Journal, Farmer’s Only, Myspace?
Yes yes yes! The best place is through my Instagram @shesuptonogood. I also am camped out at a rest stop on the Taconic Parkway for that girl-on-the-go.
Perfect! Thank you so much for your time honey and best of luck! Before we go, do you have any final words of wisdom to leave our readers with?
Live with no regrets. After all, it’s only poppers.
