While Vermont may not have the audience size or cultural capital that has allowed major cities to develop prominent drag communities, the enthusiasm of locals and dedication of local drag artists have created a flourishing drag scene in an unlikely rural area. 

Reverend Yolanda 

Reverend Yolanda, a transfemme genderqueer actor, singer-songwriter and interfaith minister, has played a major role in laying the foundation of this local community. 

She started performing in New York City’s East Village art scene in the 1980s and eventually developed a loyal following in Vermont with “Cherie and Yolanda LIVE,” a variety show on Vermont cable access TV. 

Following her HIV diagnosis, Yolanda partnered with friend Christopher Moes to create the “Winter is a Drag Ball” to showcase a variety of drag performers and raise money for Vermont Cares, a harm reduction and HIV/AIDS service organization. 

Yolanda was inducted into the Stonewall Society 2SLGBTQAI+ Hall of Fame for Activism, Art Excellence and Community Awareness in 2005. In June 2011, she became an ordained minister at the One Spirit Interfaith Seminary in New York. 

She also records and releases music that has been honored in the GLBT Hall of Fame, the Blues Hall of Fame and the Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs Awards.

Bob Bolyard 

Bob Bolyard, better known as Amber LeMay to many fans, started doing drag in Vermont in 1993 and credits much of the positive reception that he and performing partner Mike Hayes received to Yolanda’s early work. 

“Since day one, they’ve been supported. And I thank Cherie and Yolanda for that because at the time, they had their own weekly show on cable access, so people were aware of drag in the early 90s around here, and it became acceptable,” said Bolyard. 

Bob and Mike started the House of LeMay simply because they wanted to perform. The house of LeMay revolves around Amber and Mike’s character, Marguerite, and the many other characters in the make-believe village of Beaver Pond, Vermont. 

Mike made the costumes, Bob wrote the material and the group performed their songs live.  

“I always say Amber is your favorite aunt or drunk neighbor, or your drunk aunt or favorite neighbor,” Bolyard said. 

While Bob and Yolanda have varying performance styles, they both stressed the importance of community and gratitude towards the unique environment they have cultivated in Vermont. 

“We’re very fortunate. I don’t know if what we’ve done here we could do anywhere else. In a big city, there’d be that possibility, but in a small town like Burlington, I don’t know where else we could be as successful and acknowledged as we have been,” said Bolyard. 

Justin Marsh 

Justin Marsh, popularly known as Emoji Nightmare, also credits the queens that came before for opening many doors.

“Amber LeMay was certainly someone who [was] kind of like the matriarch of Burlington drag,” said Marsh. 

But thanks to those performers, Emoji has been able to carve out a space of her own. A lifelong Vermonter, Marsh was inspired to do drag in 2015 after regularly attending and dressing up for “First Fridays,” monthly LGBTQ+ dance parties held at Higher Ground. 

After receiving a friendly nudge from the performers, Marsh took their participation from the audience to the stage. 

Since then, Marsh has performed and produced a variety of drag events all over Vermont. They sit on the Board of Directors for Drag Story Hour National, and also helped found the first state affiliate of the organization.

The non-profit connects drag artists with libraries to celebrate story-telling and create spaces where young audiences can be their authentic selves. 

Emoji also hosts and produces “Eleganza & Espresso: A Drag Brunch,” a quarterly show at the Vermont Comedy Club highlighting diverse drag artists. 

This past Sunday, Emoji gathered friends and fellow performers to perform for a sold-out audience, including regulars, parents of performers, first-time drag attendees in boas and a woman celebrating her 83rd birthday. 

The show featured traditional drag numbers, puppets, original songs, a “Napoleon Dynamite” routine and an AI-generated breakup song about a cow finding its place in the world called “Home is Where The Herd Is.” Emoji performed multiple numbers and emceed, where they directed the show and connected with audience members.

Politicization of Drag 

Beyond connecting with their audience, Emoji has used their time on stage to bring awareness to the recent local election on Town Meeting Day. 

 “Go fucking vote okay! A lot of decisions are made at the local level,” said Emoji. 

They frequently pair their artistry with activism. 

“I love using drag as a platform to help candidates, whether it’s Becca Balint, who did an event with me at the 126, or Taylor Small, who I knew from performing, or our state’s attorney, Sarah Fair George. I’ve gone out in drag as a giant unicorn at the Winooski circle holding her sign for attention,” said Marsh. 

Marsh ran for the Vermont House of Representatives at 23 years old. While they didn’t win that election, they continue to work on campaigns and serve on local councils and commissions. 

In the spring of 2023, Taylor Small, a friend, former fellow performer and Chittenden-21 district representative, invited Marsh to give the devotional that opened the house session in the Vermont legislature while in drag as Emoji.

Meanwhile, in Texas, friend and fellow performer Brigitte Bandit also appeared in front of their state house. Unlike Marsh, Brigitte was not speaking to a supportive audience but instead defending the right to perform in the face of a bill restricting public drag shows. 

“It was just a fascinating dichotomy to be doing this here, where it was pretty highly celebrated and applauded, to see Bridget’s example in her home state capitol, where she was literally giving testimony defending the right for drag performers to have space in public,” said Marsh. 

While grateful for the Vermont political landscape and supportive community, Marsh remains cautious of political threats to drag performers. 

“For us in Vermont, it’s not an imminent threat right now, but it could be. Every two years, the House and Senate in Vermont change, and so it doesn’t take long for it to shift dramatically,” said Marsh. 

As drag is increasingly politicized, Bolyard and Yolanda stress the importance of having a strong community to depend on. 

“We’re very fortunate to live in Vermont, where you’ve accepted us to do this, because in other parts of the country, there have been Proud Boys in the parking lot with guns, not just not letting us in, but not letting you in. We’re very proud to be a part of freedom and unity, which is the Vermont state motto,” said Bolyard. 

Vermont Drag 

This unique combination of performer solidarity, local business support and audience engagement has allowed the Vermont drag scene to flourish. Unlike major metropolitan areas where more classic drag styles are prominently featured, Vermont’s scene is sillier, campier and filled with variety. 

“I constantly look up to my peers, who perform with me all the time, and I’m in awe of their ability. If it wasn’t for the talent of my fellow performers to be able to perform with such vigor, then there would really be no show,” said Marsh. 

Marsh now uses their established position as a performer to help others break into the scene. Drag Bunch features both seasoned performers and newcomers that they have mentored. 

“Drag is naturally kind of familial. I had someone who helped me with my first performance and took me under their wing. That sort of camaraderie is really steeped in this community … it’s really helpful to have someone kind of like helping you along, being your parental figure,” said Marsh. 

While strong bonds between performers have helped build solidarity as drag becomes increasingly politicized, support from outside the community remains essential. 

“There was one time years ago, we were walking down the street and someone yelled out some derogatory words to us, and someone else yelled back, ‘those are the LeMays, shut the fuck up,’” said Boylard. 

While Vermonters have consistently provided a strong base of support for local drag performers, as drag and LGBTQ+ rights come under attack by the current presidential administration, locals must continue to show up and carry on this tradition. 

Yolanda stressed the dire threat that the trans and queer community is currently facing. She cautioned that she wasn’t trying to spread alarm, but rather call for unity.

“[This statement] is intended for us to unite and organize. We also must make sure that our rights remain solid in our beloved state of Vermont,” said Yolanda.