In a modern day adaption of Cinderella, a teenager in Alabama sets out to win a drag pageant.
Still recovering from the death of his mother, seventeen-year-old Rodney dreams of escaping his small southern hometown in pursuit of following in his mother’s footsteps as an award-winning pageant queen. Despite an onslaught of bullying and abuse from his step-father, step-brothers, and classmates, Rodney calls upon his best friend Monique and a unique cast of southern characters to help him take the crown in an upcoming teen drag pageant in Atlanta, GA.
This coming-of-age southern dramedy is about following your dreams, overcoming adversity, and forging down your own road no matter how treacherous the path. Imagine if John Waters gave us a movie with a little bit of To Wong Foo, a touch of Steel Magnolias, and the heart of Little Miss Sunshine all bundled as a loose adaptation of Cinderella. That’s “Pageant Material.”
Directed by
Jonothon Mitchell
WRITTEN BY
Jonothon Mitchell
& Madison Hatfield
PRODUCED BY
Nina Marinov
CURRENTLY IN
POST-PRODUCTION
HART MORSE
(Rodney)
MARIANNE JOHNSON
(MONIQUE)
jason macdonald
(vERNE)
TYLER BUCKINGHAM
(JUNIOR)
GIOIA JILES
(RENEE)
TYLER SCOTT
(BOONE)
MEGAN POOLE
(TRACEY)
FEATURING
CATHERINE DYER
(MISS JACKIE)
DESMOND NAPOLES
(YOUNG RODNEY)
EVAH DESTRUCTION
(BLANCHE DRESSING)
ADDITIONAL CAST
GUNNER WILLIS
(GUS)
DANI DEETTÉ
(DREW-ANNE)
KAYE NICKELL
(ANNA)
ERIC JAMES MORRIS
(CECIL)
JACKSON BEARD
(DIEGO)
ALEXANDER BAXTER
(DALE)
BRIGITTE BIDET
(PETTY MAYONNAISE)
In our effort to create a piece of cinema that reflects a realistic portrayal of life as a gay teen in the south, we also sought to create something that could provide real-world support to those who may live similar lives as our protagonist.
Half of the profits earned by the completed film will go on to benefit The Dru Project. This organization seeks to provide support for education on issues facing LGBTQIA community members, assist in the development of Gay-Straight Alliance programs in schools, provide support and consultation for parents of LGBTQIA youth, advocate for greater access to mental health services, and develop future leaders in the LGBTQIA community. (http://thedruproject.org).
- 77% of LGBTQ teenagers surveyed report feeling depressed or down over the past week, more than 70% report feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness in the past week, and 95% of LGBTQ youth report trouble sleeping at night.
- 73% of LGBTQ youth have experienced verbal threats because of their actual or perceived LGBTQ identity.
- 67% report that they’ve heard family members make negative comments about LGBTQ people.
- 26% say they always feel safe in their school classrooms -- and just 5% say all of their teachers and school staff are supportive of LGBTQ people.
*Statistics pulled from HRC’s “Growing Up LGBT in America” survey.
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