Pageant Princess, The Musical

Benefiting: Adam R. Spector Foundation
Produced by Violet Productions
Music by Joni Ernst
Book by Abigail Taylor
Book, Lyrics, and Music also by Lorelei Mackenzie & Kristen Penner

“At Little Miss Glamour and Glitz – Texas it’s what’s on the OUTSIDE that counts. Join three young aspiring pageant princesses and their off-beat families in their quest for the crown. Witness the magic, the mayhem and of course the glitter in this delightful romp into child pageants.”

Show Times:

• Tues 6/5/12 – 7:00pm
• Sat 6/9/12 – 3:30pm
• Sun 6/10/12 – 1:30pm
• Sat 6/16/12 – 11:00am
• Wed 6/20/12 – 4:30pm
• Sat 6/23/12 – 11:30am

Answers by Kristen Penner (Playwright)

Karen Tortora-Lee’s Question
How did you come up with the title for your show?

Kristen: We were watching the reality show “Toddlers and Tiaras” and laughing about how funny it would be to have a musical with these nutty parents and kids.  Lorelei, a writer and composer, said jokingly, “Yeah, and we could call it Pageant Princess The Musical.”  Suddenly we all stopped and stared at each other.  And that is how the show, along with the title, came into being.

Diánna Martin’s Question
If you were going to invite 5 people (from the past or present) to see your show – who would you invite … and why?

Kristen:
Stephen Sondheim because he is the inspiration for a lot of the music.
Michael Galanes, the host of Little Miss Perfect, because he was a big inspiration for the show itself.
Christopher Guest because he was not only an inspiration with his movies but is, in our humble opinion, absolutely brilliant.
Bette Midler, because her career is an inspiration to the struggling actor/writer/composer types…and she would be a great producer for this show!
Anyone who has ever been in the crazy world of pageantry because this show is dedicated to them.

Antonio Minino’s Question
What is the biggest sacrifice you’ve made for your art and was it worth it?
Kristen:  I don’t consider anything I do for my art a sacrifice because I love it so much.  The time spent composing and writing with the people closest to me is a gift, living in NYC is insane but there’s never a dull moment, and any other struggle that I have had or will have in the future is more fun than I would have doing anything else in the world.

Geoffrey Paddy Johnson’s Question
Was there any unexpected discovery made during the development of this production and can you share it with us?
Kristen: We learned how to use Finale (a computer program that supposedly transcribes your sheet music).  If anyone reading this ever has issues with Finale, give us a call because we went through 3 months of hell trying to learn it.
Michelle Augello-Page’s Question
What do you hope the audience receives from the experience of seeing this show?
Kristen:  I hope they laugh.  And I hope that they walk away feeling the same thing they would feel after watching a reality TV show: less screwed up.

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Planet Connections runs from May 30 – June 24 at The Bleecker Street Theater located at 45 Bleecker Street, New York, NY. To purchase tickets to this or any of the shows click here.

Related Posts:

• Pageant Princess – Music, Make-Up And Meltdowns (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• Deuteranomaly: A One-Act in Two Parts – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• Bubby’s Shadow: Whose Shadow Is It? (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• The American Play (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• Scene/Unseen – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)