PAGEANT, THE MUSICAL COMEDY BEAUTY CONTEST, Opens Island City Stage's 11th South Florida Season This Month

It's Miss America meets RuPaul's Drag Race! Pageant, The Musical Comedy Beauty Contest, will open Island City Stage's 11th South Florida season in glamourous over-the-top style on October 20! The glittering, grandiose and glorious musical comedy runs through November 20.

"Tiaras, ballgowns, sequins, swimsuits and sly jokes, it's all here in Pageant, our hilarious season opener," said Andy Rogow, artistic director of Island City Stage. "We're fortunate to have an incredibly talented team of actors skilled at engaging audiences and bringing the laughs. With a different winner crowned at each performance, we keep our stage show at the top of its game and audiences on their edge of their seats cheering on their favorites."

With lyrics by Bill Russell and Frank Kelly and music by Albert Evans, conceived by Robert Longbottom, Pageant sends up the once cherished traditions of beauty finalists in bathing suit and ball gown competitions, while contestants compete for the title of "Miss Glamouresse." And who wins the crown? The audience decides! Judges selected from the audience at each performance pick the winner ensuring that no performance is the same - and the on-stage suspense is real!

This opening production stars an ensemble cast including Conor Walton, Michael Scott Ross, Matthew Buffalo, Christopher Calhoun, Marcus Davis, Kevin Veloz and Larry Buzzeo. It is directed by Carbonell Award-winning choreographer/director Ron Hutchins with musical direction from Michael Ursua.

Along with its Season 11 lineup, Island City Stage will be bringing back its introspective Behind the Red Curtain public forum series, launched last year as an anniversary initiative to address the stories and issues that inspire its shows, as well as its popular Women's Night at the Theatre. Additionally, the second Sunday performance of all five shows will be Mimosa Sunday which includes a pre-show complimentary Mimosa (21 and over), a light bites reception and a post-show talk back. Seating limited and subject to availability based on confirmed ticket reservation on a first-come basis. Mimosa Sunday for Pageant will be on October 30.

Creating quality professional theatrical experiences focused on the LGBT+ community for a universal audience, Island City Stage's 11th South Florida season offers thought-provoking productions that explore bittersweet longing, gender questions, loneliness, the ins and outs of friendship, the magic of random human connection and ethnic conflict within the generational divide. Upcoming shows include Rotterdam by Jon Brittain from January 19 - February 19; I Wanna F@#king Tear You Apart by Morgan Gould from March 2 - April 2; Tracy Jones by Stephen Kaplan from May 18 - June 18 and Springfield Pride Commissioned by Island City Stage from August 3 - September 3.

Tickets for Pageant start at $50. Season subscribers can save with a $185 Flexpass for five productions (a $15 savings off individually priced tickets plus no processing fees) and receive $5 off of additional tickets purchased. Other discounts are available for groups. More details can be found on the Island City Stage website at islandcitystage.org. Corporate and individual donors are also invited to become part of Island City Stage's Spotlight Club. Donations start at $25 and all are tax deductible and remain in program listing for one year.