Ryan Cormier, The News Journal

When pop star and Super Bowl halftime performer Lady Gaga appears on the new season of "RuPaul's Drag Race" as a celebrity guest judge, it was a shock to the 13 contestants -- including Wilmington High School graduate and drag performer Peppermint.

"It was the first day of shooting, everyone is nervous and then we see Lady Gaga walk into the room," says Peppermint, 37, the show's first contestant to identify herself as transgender at the start of a season. "It was pretty much every emotion you can experience at once, including confusion, pandemonium and excitement."

Peppermint makes her reality television debut Friday, March 24 as part of the premiere of the ninth season of "RuPaul's Drag Race."

For her part, Peppermint picked the right time to try out for the show. Not only did she make the cut, but the show will air on VH1 for the first time, in addition to its original home Logo TV.

It is also the first season with an Emmy Award-winning host. The show's titular host, famed drag queen RuPaul Charles, was named Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program this year, beating everyone from Ryan Seacrest of "American Idol" to Tom Bergeron of "Dancing with the Stars."

Even though it's a show with plenty of juice, it is not Peppermint's first time in the limelight.

In the years since she moved to New York for college to chase her "great big dream of being a star," she has been the center of attention, whether it's performing as a drag queen in the hottest New York clubs, releasing her own music (2009's "Hardcore Glamour") or appearing in television shows such as "Ugly Betty" or "CSI: NY."

But this is different.

RuPaul's "Drag Race" series has become the most-watched show on Logo and its spin-off, "RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars," is coming off its best ratings ever. So even if Peppermint doesn't win the contest, the exposure is priceless, especially for a club performer who can be billed as a "Drag Race" contestant.

"It really is a huge deal. And it's major for me because it was a personal goal and RuPaul is such an innovator," says Peppermint, who grew up in The Flats near Seventh and Woodlawn streets in Wilmington.

"Plus, I'm happy to have a voice not only as a drag queen and a queer person, but as a transgender woman," adds Peppermint, who has only performed in Wilmington a couple of times, including at now-closed clubs such as Porky's on Union Street and Shipley Street's Roam. "That's not a voice that many people are used to hearing, so the more voices that we can hear, the better."

Peppermint says she was 12 when she came out as being attracted to boys and adds, "I was probably attracted to all things shiny before I could talk." Her grandmother, who was a seamstress and costume designer, was happy to put her in Boy George drag a few times as a kid, she remembers.

"And, of course, when my mom would go to work, there was suddenly an entire costume closet in her bedroom that I had access to," says Peppermint, who reveled in Halloween as a child and still has close friends in Delaware.

Her mother, Joanna Moore Collins, lives in Wilmington as a retired University of Delaware administrative academic adviser.

Collins remembers the first time she realized Peppermint liked to dress in drag -- when she altered one of Collins' favorite skirts as a teenager.

"It was a midi that went mini," she says, laughing at the memory.

Over time, Collins transformed from a mother who had a hard time understanding the transition into Peppermint into someone who accepts her daughter and her journey.

"I had a talk with my pastor. He told me his views and I was able to accept and move on," says Collins, who has organized a viewing party at Grotto Pizza (1819 Pennsylvania Ave., Wilmington) for Friday night at 8. "The family is all in."

Peppermint came out to her family as a transgender woman slowly over time. Since she lived in New York and wouldn't see her family every day, she slowly changed her appearance for each visit for holidays.

"I was out, living as a trans woman every day for several years before even mentioning it to my family even though I was coming to Christmas dinner looking like the beautiful lady I still am today," she says.

As a child actor and singer in Delaware, she performed wherever she could, including the Delaware Children's Theater, OperaDelaware and The Brandywiners, encouraged by Wilmington High School drama teacher Kim Cantrell.

After graduating from high school, she moved north to New York and attended the theater training school American Musical and Dramatic Academy. After graduation, she knew Broadway and theater acting wasn't the kind of performance for her. She had been hitting the New York nightlife scene at night, drawn to creative, outgoing people like herself, and decided to begin what has become a career in drag performance.

It started with a job as a "rope girl" working the door at Tunnel, a popular Peter Gatien-owned Chelsea nightclub that closed in 2001 after a 15-year run. Eventually she worked her way up and performed on stage at Tunnel for $50 a week. In the years since, she has performed at a string of New York City hotspots, such as Therapy, Barracuda Bar, The Limelight and Lips.

"RuPaul's Drag Race" was filmed in Los Angeles over the summer and Peppermint has been keeping secrets from family and friends ever since. Even though the winner will be named during a live finale this spring, all details of the show have to be kept under wraps.

"I'm good at keeping secrets and it's probably the most enjoyable torture I've ever been involved in," says Peppermint, who now lives in New York's Harlem neighborhood.

As she begins her run on "RuPaul's Drag Race," Delaware will be a part of her every step. After all, it's where she got the name Peppermint.

While in middle school, she was hanging out with a boy she had a crush on at a local 7-Eleven when the nickname first came her way.

"He said to me, 'You eat too many peppermints. That should be your name,'" she says. "Of course, I went with it. I would have done anything. So even then, my drag persona was starting."

Contact Ryan Cormier of The News Journal at rcormier@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2863. Follow him on Facebook (@ryancormier), Twitter (@ryancormier) and Instagram (@ryancormier).

IF YOU WATCH

What: "RuPaul's Drag Race"

When: Debuts on Friday, March 24 at 8 p.m.

Channel: VH1 and Logo TV

IF YOU GO

What: "RuPaul's Drag Race" viewing party

When: Friday, March 24 at 8 p.m.

Where: Grotto Pizza, 1819 Pennsylvania Ave., Wilmington