Today we’d like to introduce you to Sequoia.
Hi Sequoia, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve been a performer for most of my life, but I first got interested in drag while I was studying abroad in College. I went to the University of Utah for Musical Theatre and while I was studying in London I came across RuPaul’s Drag Race one day after class. I had this epiphany moment where I realized I could use my performance degree, while also combining all of my other passions (makeup, event producing, hosting, fashion, community building, etc) into one big thing called drag! Once I realized I could do all of my favorite things at once, I was so stoked and it became my plan for post-college.
I moved to New York City following college, like many musical theatre students. I didn’t really audition much for plays and musicals, because I was too focused on networking and performing in the NYC drag scene. I competed in 3 competitions in NYC, hosted a few of my own solo cabaret-style shows, guest performed in running shows all over town, and had a weekly karaoke show as well. That’s when COVID-19 hit, and lots of things changed!
I quickly lost my day job, as well as all of my nightlife income and was at an impasse. I knew I needed to take a break from the city and save some money, while also getting a break from the city and trying to find my purpose in drag. When I came back to Utah, I was expecting to maybe do a couple of shows, work a day job for a few months, and head back to NYC. My plans quickly started to shift as drag started to ramp up in SLC!
While working my day job at Pig and a Jelly Jar, the owners approached me about doing a drag brunch at their sister restaurant, WB’s Eatery in Ogden, for New Years’ day! I was surprised and super stoked about the idea, so I borrowed a speaker from a friend and we made it happen! To my surprise, the event was a huge success and we decided to do it every month! Since the creation of this show, Wigs and Brunch, I’ve been able to produce two weekly shows, 4 monthly shows, and star and guest perform with other drag events in SLC! I’m proud to say that I’ve been a full-time drag queen and event producer for an entire year now! It’s so exciting to be a part of a thriving and beautiful drag scene here in Salt Lake City!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has been smooth in some ways, and rough in others! Having to move across the country a couple of times was definitely a challenge, and one I wasn’t expecting. Struggles in this career path are inevitable, but I like to just try and roll with the punches! A big challenge here in Utah specifically has been getting folks to attend our events who normally might hesitate to! The culture in Utah is getting used to seeing queer art, especially drag, in their everyday lives. Usually though, once people see a show or two they get how much fun drag can be for the whole family! I hope to continue to help people discover the art of drag!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Well to start, my name is Sequoia because I sort of am one! I’m 6’6″ tall in flats, which is quite the height for a drag queen! I love being tall and empowering other tall folks to own their height and stand tall and strong just like a Sequoia would. My drag is different from others in a few ways, but one major way is my performance style! I’m a comedian, so I lip-sync different comedy bits and situations mashed up with popular songs, and songs you didn’t know you wanted to hear. I like to deliver a comedy bit with a twist, giving you something special and unexpected when you see a show.
I’m also a singer, and love to bring that into my drag whenever I can!
I think in Utah I’m most known for my brunch show Wigs and Brunch at WB’s in Ogden! It’s been up and running for a year and a half, and is always a sell-out show! I’m so happy to bring some drag up to the growing community in Ogden, and I think they like it too! For folks who may not know, I also produce many other shows from Ogden to Provo, starring myself and other fabulous drag artists in Utah, so there’s plenty of drag to go around!
What are your plans for the future?
In the future, I hope to continue to benefit my home state of Utah in whatever way I can! I was born and raised here, my family history is tied to the settlement of this extremely unique state, and I hope to be a part of the change here to keep Queer art alive, to keep folks engaged in community and community development, and make this state a place for all people to live comfortably! I also hope one day down the road to open a venue of my own! I love to create space, I love to host, and I love to make people feel happy and comfortable. No big changes coming soon, I plan on continuing my path here in Utah and hopefully bring more attention to our beautiful and unique drag scene.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://theonlysequoia.myshopify.com/
- Instagram: theonlysequoia
- Twitter: theonlysequoia
Image Credits
Ryann Combe
Another Element Photography
Sequoia
Patrick Croskrey
