Pageant: The Musical Comedy Beauty Contest returned to New York City for a sold-out opening night at the Red Lacquer Club, home of the new Lucky Cheng’s this past Monday. The show features contestants desperately vying for a glittering tiara. With swimsuit, talent and evening gown competitions – it also includes both the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Unlike some beauty pageants you’ve seen before, the female contestants are all played by men. And the audience gets to select the winner each night. Pageant, hosted by Tony nominee Brad Oscar (The Producers; Big Fish), was written by two-time Tony nominee Bill Russell and Frank Kelly with music by Albert Evans and based on an original concept by Robert Longbottom. Matt Lenz directs, with choreography by Shea Sullivan. Photographer Jenny Anderson went backstage to photograph the cast of tiara-crazed beauties getting ready backstage. The cast includes Nick Cearley (of The Skivvies), Frankie James Grande(Mamma Mia), Douglas Lyons (Beautiful), Alex Ringler (West Side Story), Marty Thomas (Xanadu), and Seth Tucker (Our Kiki).
Fifty percent of ticket sales benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, one of the nation’s leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations.
Pageant is running on Monday nights for the rest of February, tickets are available here.
Photo Credit: Jenny Anderson
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Nick Cearley
Douglas Lyons
Frankie J. Grande
Alex Ringler
Seth Tucker
Brad Oscar
stranded
the make-up artist is hella cute. face reminds me of Morrissey