Judges & Contestants Set for Broadway Beauty Pageant; La Cage, Chicago, Anything Goes, Spider-Man & Mary Poppins

A trio of outstanding and hilarious judges has been announced for the 5th Smash Year of The Broadway Beauty Pageant: Bruce Vilanch is the six-time Emmy Award winner comedy writer and actor who is one of the most sought after jokesmiths in the entertainment industry. Rachael Dratch is best known for her years as a cast member of Saturday Night Live, and is an award winning comic actress from Second City. Carson Kressley was the fashion expert on Queer Eye, the host of the TV show How To Look Good Naked, and now hosts Carson-Nation on the Oprah Winfrey Network. This not-to-be-missed event will be on Monday, March 21st, 2011 at 8:00 PM, benefiting The Ali Forney Center, NYC's primary housing resource for homeless LGBT youth. The annual show will again be at the Peter Norton Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway (at 95th Street).

This year's contestants are: Matt Anctil, La Cage aux Folles; Michael Cusamano, Chicago; Raymond J. Lee, Anything Goes; Brandon Rubendall, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark; and James Tabeek, Mary Poppins. Conceived by Jeffery Self and directed by Ryan J. Davis, The Broadway Beauty Pageant is musically directed by Christopher Denny. The evening is produced by Wil Fisher, Ryan J. Davis, Jeffery Self and Matthew Oberstein.

The previous winners have been: Charlie Williams (Mr. Memphis 2010), Anthony Hollock (Mr. Hair 2009), Marty Thomas (Mr. Xanadu 2008), and Frankie James Grande (Mr. Mamma Mia 2007).

Tickets are priced at $25, $50, and $150 VIP and are on sale online at http://www.symphonyspace.org/event/6590-the-5th-annual-broadway-beauty-pageant, via phone at (212) 864-5400 or in person at the box office. $150 VIP tickets include a gift bag and private after party. 

The Ali Forney Center (AFC) was started in June 2002 in response to the lack of safe shelter for LGBT youth in New York City. They have grown quickly to become the nation's largest and most comprehensive organization dedicated to homeless LGBT youth. They are committed to providing LGBT youth with safe, dignified, nurturing environments where their needs can be met and where they can begin to put their lives back together. The center provides short and long term housing, plus free medical care, HIV testing, mental health services, showers, food, computer access and job training and placement at its drop-in centers in Chelsea and Brooklyn. The Ali Forney Center is at 224 West 35th St., Suite 1102 New York, NY 10001 (212) 222-3427 and the fax is (212) 222-5861. www.aliforneycenter.org