Emoji Nightmare (Justin Marsh) has been performing across Vermont and the region since 2015 and is one of the state’s leading drag entertainers. She has hosted, performed in, and/or produced several major events over the past decade, including New Queers Eve, Pride Ball, First Friday, Glitter & Duct Tape, The Vermont Pride Festival, Paint: A Drag Cabaret, Queen City Drag Cabaret, Queer Pop-Up Dance Party, and SASS. She is a frequent guest on Amber Live! and a multi-year nominee for Seven Days’ annual Daysies Awards for Best Drag Performer in Vermont.

A TIMELINE:

2015: Emoji Nightmare emerged onto the Burlington, VT queer scene, quickly becoming a staple performer in the region. Her first performance was at Higher Ground on April 3, 2015, as part of First Friday, opening for RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant Joslyn Fox. That summer, she placed 3rd in the amateur drag competition, Vermont Drag Idol.

2016: Joined the cast of Paint: A Drag Cabaret.

2017: With Nikki Champagne, they established NIGHTPAGNE, L3c, their performing arts entity. Nikki and Emoji started The T, a variety show on Vermont Community Access Media, that brought together arts and activism. The series included some high-profile guests, including former Governor Madeleine Kunin. The two founded the Vermont Chapter of Drag Story Hour in September. They begin hosting and producing New Queers Eve that December.

2018 and 2019: Nikki and Emoji establish themselves as the premier drag producer duo of Vermont, creating shows and doing story hour readings in every corner of the state.

2020: The COVID-19 pandemic halts live in-person shows. Nikki (Taylor Small) announces campaign for Vermont House of Representatives in May. Emoji begins producing performance music videos with help from Nikki behind the camera. The two produce several virtual parties and shows, including their annual New Queers Eve show.

2021: After winning an election for the Vermont House of Representatives, Nikki (Taylor Small), retired from drag to pursue her political career. Emoji and Katniss Everqueer begin producing all-digital shows including My Chubby Valentine. Emoji becomes a national board member of Drag Story Hour. In October, Emoji begins to write and record original music.

2022: Katniss Everqueer becomes a regular co-reader of Drag Story Hour. Katniss and Emoji co-produce two annual shows celebrating fat performers, My Chubby Valentine and Beached Whales. Emoji releases original music.

2023: Emoji performs in NYC for the first time and represents Vermont Drag Story Hour at SXSW in Austin, TX.

ABOUT JUSTIN MARSH

Justin Marsh (they/them) grew up in Cambridge, VT on a dairy farm where they still reside. They are an alum of Northern Vermont University. In 2012, they ran as an independent for Vermont House at the age of 23. They are a published editor (Tasteful Traditions, Red Barn Books, 2014), and have held or currently serve in several positions on other local non-profit or municipal boards. In 2016, they helped write the grant known as The Silo Project, which transformed two abandoned concrete silos into the largest outdoor public art installment in the state of Vermont. They are a previous board member of Outright Vermont and still spends time volunteering for the organization as a Friday Night Group co-facilitator in Lamoille County. They were the lead organizer of the Pride Vermont Parade & Festival for four years between 2018 and 2021 and worked for Pride Center of Vermont. In 2020, as chair of Cambridge Conservation Commission, they were a leader on the committee to conserve 51 acres of land in Cambridge now known as the Peter A. Krusch Nature Preserve. They have worked in Montpelier for Vermont Conservation Voters as political outreach director since 2022, and have worked on campaigns in several historic races, including Taylor Small’s 2020 election.