Over the course of a year, this photo essay follows the lives of five drag queens who call themselves the Nasty Gurlz. Between late-night performances, full-time jobs and the constant work of building community, they navigate the realities of life both on and off the stage.
Away from the spotlight, the wigs come off and the makeup fades, revealing lives shaped by friendship, resilience and determination. Some work multiple jobs to support their art, while others balance family, school and careers alongside hours spent rehearsing, sewing costumes and preparing for performances. Through moments of celebration, heartbreak and everyday life, the Nasty Gurlz create spaces where authenticity and self-expression can thrive.
Rather than focusing solely on performance, this project explores the people behind the personas—documenting a chosen family whose lives extend far beyond the stage and whose stories speak to identity, belonging and the power of community in the Shenandoah Valley.
Geriatrick applies makeup before performing with the Nasty Gurlz at the Art Cafe in Fredericksburg, Va., on Dec. 20, 2025.
Shenandoah (left) and Tijuana (right) prepare for a performance at the kitchen table of Shenandoah's younger brother's apartment in Harrisonburg, Va., on Oct. 21, 2025.
Margaret Cynthia Pearl applies blush before a performance as fellow drag performer Climaxxx reaches across the table to help with her makeup in Harrisonburg, Va., on Oct. 21, 2025.
Shenandoah waits backstage before hosting the third annual Mx. Wigglesburg drag competition in Fredericksburg, Va., on May 31, 2026. She founded the competition three years earlier to showcase local drag performers.
Tijuana checks her makeup in a car mirror before leaving for her next performance in Harrisonburg, Va., on Oct. 13, 2025.
Tijuana waits backstage for the other performers to finish getting ready before a drag show at the Art Cafe in Fredericksburg, Va., on Dec. 22, 2025. Although the show was scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m., the performers did not take the stage until shortly after 9 p.m.
Margaret Cynthia Pearl applies makeup before a drag performance in Fredericksburg, Va., on Dec. 20, 2025.
A friend helps Climaxxx attach a headpiece to her wig before a drag performance in Harrisonburg, Va., in October 13th 2025.
Jade crawls toward the audience while competing in the third annual Mx. Wigglesburg drag competition in Fredericksburg, Va., on May 31, 2026. The competition, founded and hosted by Shenandoah, showcases drag performers from across the region.
Audience members hold up tips for Shenandoah as she lip-syncs to "Feliz Navidad" during a holiday drag show in Fredericksburg, Va., on Dec. 20, 2025. The crowd called for an encore, prompting a second performance of the song.
Climaxxx soars through the air before landing in a split during a lip-sync performance at a holiday drag show in Fredericksburg, Va., on Dec. 20, 2025.
Margaret Cynthia Pearl winks and blows a kiss to an audience member while accepting a tip during a holiday drag show in Fredericksburg, Va., on Dec. 20, 2025.
Climaxxx poses for a portrait outside a laundromat where she washes her costumes and clothes after performances in Fredericksburg, Va., on Nov. 5, 2025.
Climaxxx kicks her legs into the air during the final performance of the night at the Art Cafe in Fredericksburg, Va., on Dec. 20, 2025, narrowly missing audience members gathered near the stage.
The members of the Nasty Gurlz take a final bow after a drag performance at the Art Cafe in Fredericksburg, Va., on Dec. 20, 2025, thanking the audience for attending.
Shenandoah removes her makeup with a cleansing wipe after a drag performance in Harrisonburg, Va., on Oct. 21, 2025.