Brazen Theater's MISS LONGVIEW TEXAS DRAG PAGEANT Begins Tonight

Brazen Theater presents the Minneapolis premiere of The Miss Longview Texas Drag Pageant, a new play written and directed by Mark Hooker (Artistic Director, Brazen Theatre) and co-directed by Janice Orlandi ("Bette Davis Ain't for Sissies" 5 Star Edinburg Fringe 2013 ) and produced by Joel Thingvall (Producers Association, and Managing Director, Brazen Theatre) beginning tonight, July 31st at Theatre In The Round at 245 Cedar Avenue, Minneapolis. The Miss Longview Texas Drag Pageant originally opened in New York City in the Times Square Arts Building in December of 2013.

The Minneapolis cast includes KEITH PEDERSON (Schmidt's Resident), ANDREW ROSDAIL (Little Shop of Horrors), C.J. DeVAAN (Lillies), PATIENCE FIELDS (Christopher Street: A Musical), RYAN PROHASKA (Snoopy), JOEL THINGVALL (Metamorphosis: The Musical), NATHAN CAMERON (Children's Theatre Company), JACOB THOMAS, and ERICA FIELDS (Macbeth). IMMANUEL ELIOTT stage manages.

Jacob Thomas (a real life Air Force man) is featured as Harlan -- a cowboy with a dream of stardom. Nathan Cameron excels as a stoned but good ole' boy movie star from Longview, Matthew McConaughey.

A gay Thanksgiving celebration at the Longview East Texas Victorian home of former drag performer, Dinky and his partner Renny replete with pinecone turkeys and apple martinis anticipates an evening Drag Contest at the local high school to be judged by none other than hometown boy and film star, Matthew McConaughey. The gathering is complicated by the unwelcome arrival of a saucy high school teacher and her sexually ambiguous former husband (the town sheriff) who expose secrets and deceptions of invited guests. Further mayhem ensues when an escaped convict takes the group hostage, and a mysterious light from the sky conjures thoughts of unwelcome alien guests, forcing everyone to ask the question, "are we alone in the universe"? Mark Hooker's wild new comedy promises outrageous fun and an amusing homage to vintage television.

The show runs for five performances: tonight, July 31st at 7PM; Saturday, August 2nd at 10PM; Monday, August 4th at 7PM; Friday, August 8th at 5:30PM; and Saturday, August 9th at 8:30PM. This play is presented as part of this year's Minnesota Fringe Festival.

For tickets to this and all of the fringe shows, visit the official Minnesota Fringe Festival site at http://www.fringefestival.org

Photo by Cassandra Snow