Today we’d like to introduce you to Marina Pepe.
Hi Marina, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I grew up in NJ most of my life. I was lucky to be raised by such a strong mother who always taught me to stick up for myself & others. She has always been my best friend, and honestly the driving force behind everything I do, where I am, and what I want out of my life. There were so many times when life threw her brutal curveballs, and never once did she give up – and that’s how I try to live my life.
My mom and I went to a Dueling Pianos show in NYC, and we had such an amazing time with how interactive the show was – and this was the moment the idea for the Music City Dolls Dueling Drag Show clicked in my head. At this point, I was visiting Nashville often and met an amazing MC/Performer ‘MAMA D’’ aka Nece Sexton- who has been one of Nashville’s top queens for many years. I swear when I met her I told her “We are going to do something awesome together”. Once I saw the demand Nashville had for entertainment & meeting Nece, I wanted to bring something exciting to the drag scene. A fresh, fun, interactive experience that no other drag show in Nashville was doing – and once I witnessed the Dueling Piano show with my mom- it all just came together.
At this time, I was working a pretty draining office job, it was great but I knew it wasn’t for me. I wanted to create and do something more. I wanted to stop chasing the weekly paycheck, and the feeling of never getting ahead. I just felt like if I didn’t take a risk, nothing would change for me. I wanted more out of my life and for my family’s life, so I packed my stuff and drove to Nashville with a full car and my Mastiff Brick – the show wasn’t up and running yet, and no venue. Just a kick-ass MC and an idea – and that’s how we got started here in Nashville!
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Gosh, I think my company was built upon obstacles! There have been many. I had no savings or extra play money to start the show, so I was figuring out every way to get this going without putting myself into debt but I knew the idea would work so I needed to try. With support from my very good friend Ryan – who let me stay at his place while building the business, that was beyond helpful and something I’ll never forget.
Mama D aka Nece, has been the most amazing MC/performer/partner I could’ve asked for. We come from two different worlds – she is a beautiful African-American trans woman raised in TN and I am an Italian-American heterosexual woman raised in NJ- She welcomed me into HER world with open arms. She has taught me so much about the drag world, trusted me, and has been there for me in so many ways. I lost my uncle this year to suicide who I loved more than words, and she stepped in to let me grieve & is just as much the face of the dolls as I am- having her to depend on has been priceless.
Nashville’s potential Drag Ban was a scary moment for our show and just the lgbtq community in general. We had some pretty nasty comments from hateful people; got kicked out of our original venue because they didn’t want to drag anymore, and just seeing the hate in the world was something challenging to watch- but out of that, we also saw the beauty in how people from all walks of life stepped up to support us, the petition we made, and our show. We even did an empowerment photo shoot to empower us.
The one thing I’ve realized is when you gain a little traction in a city- people will try to imitate or take what you built (we had to deal with someone trying to falsely take our company, THAT WAS FUN). Being someone/and a company with a limited budget and trying to grow with little money – trying to defend yourself against those with more money and status has been one of the biggest obstacles- but I was taught when you are honest and don’t give up, the world will turn in your favor and it has.
I was never taught business and didn’t do this perfectly, but it’s been such an amazing experience even with all the grey hairs it has earned me!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Music City Dolls Entertainment LLC is an entertainment company and we run the Music City Dolls DUELING Drag Brunch at the Rusty Nail every Saturday at noon (occasional Sundays as well)
We are a 90-minute interactive brunch experience with over 100 5-star reviews and top-rated on Batch (an app for groups to book experiences). We cater to bachelorettes, birthdays, and anyone celebrating or wanting a day out. You can also book our entertainers for private events. Our show is not for any specific group, we welcome EVERYONE and treat them as family. We are not a corporate-run show, we are a local woman-run business that created an interactive experience to celebrate milestones, create memories, and bring people together from ALL walks of life. You are never just another ticket to us, we value every person who walks in our doors.
Our show has comedy, drag, competitions, and prizes that groups can compete to win! We are the ONLY Dueling Drag Experience in Nashville & we kicked off the “interactive” trend you will now see all over – and I’m darn proud of that!
What do you think about happiness?
When it comes to the show, it makes me beyond happy when I watch people walk through our doors abandon their judgments, and embrace being themselves. Life is hard and we are all battling something so I love giving people an escape for 90 minutes.
For example; it makes me happy to watch a hesitant dad who came to our show with his gay son and friends for his son’s 22nd birthday & by the time he left the dad was hugging me because it opened his eyes to something he knew nothing about and had a blast. It made him feel more connected to his son and more open-minded. That makes me happy; making just a small difference while entertaining the community- that makes me happy!
Pricing:
- Our show is only $25 a person and the guest of honor is free!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.duelingdragshow.com
- Instagram: @musiccitydollsentertainment
