Professional drag queens are not the only ones performing this weekend at NMU. Prior to the 25th annual drag show on Saturday, Feb. 12, students will get the chance to perform in an amateur drag show and win the chance to share the stage with the professional drag queens. 

“[Drag] is one of those artworks that is not very easy to necessarily just jump into,” Miranda Miller, president of Queers and Allies, said. “I feel like the amateur drag show at NMU is a space where people can actually explore that artwork and practice it and try it out in a safe place.”

Amateur drag queens and interested students will try out that experience on Friday, Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. in Jamrich 1100. Each performer will have the chance to give one performance for the seven drag queen judges who will select a “winner” at the end of the night. That student will be invited to perform at the professional drag show the next day. 

“Drag shows in general are a celebration in the community,” Miller said. “It’s just a really fun event, especially for anybody in the queer community, to come and hang out and support other people in the queer community.”

One of the students entered in the amateur drag show is Tanae Otis, senior public relations major, who will be performing under the drag name Libbi D’eau.

“My decision to do the amateur drag show was kind of based in that it is my final year and I kind of want to go out with a bang,” Otis said. 

Otis’s costume is somewhat Valentine’s Day themed and will emulate the fun personality of Libbi D’eau.

“Libbi D’eau’s persona is like a very fun flirtatious character, because, you know, libido,” Otis said. “I’m most looking forward to just showing the audience a bunch of different surprises I have up my sleeve and just getting to perform on a stage because I don’t usually do that.”