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PAGEANT starts rehearsals tonight, and we’re excited to have everyone all together! You can meet the cast right here on our website. This hysterical musical comedy introduces the audience to six very different pageant contestants, all competing for the title of Miss Glamouresse. You’ll see the “ladies” experience the ecstasy of success, the agony of defeat, and every emotion in between on their quest for the crown. But what’s a PAGEANT without a winner? You become the judge as the audience select a new winner every single night. PAGEANT is the perfect antidote to the post-holiday blues as you laugh your way out of the theatre. 

Lyric’s associate artistic director, Ashley Wells, is directing this hilarious musical comedy beauty contest. Though she’s extremely busy finishing her preparations for the first rehearsal, she took a few minutes to answer our questions about the show. 

Question: Describe the show to me in 10 words or less.
Answer: 
Outrageous, hilarious, pure entertainment. Or, if you need a complete sentence: PAGEANT is a different way to look at pageants.

Christopher Sieker as Miss Bible Belt. Photo by KO Rinearson. 

Q: What, in your opinion, makes PAGEANT unique and worth seeing?
A: The way the cast works together as a group to make this show so heartwarming and fun. You can’t help but laugh and get caught up in the evening. Throughout the show, you find yourself hoping a certain character will win the competition. Plus, the audience plays an important role, since they choose the winner. Seeing a different winner each night and what happens when that character wins makes it worth coming back and seeing the show several times.

Q: What is your favorite part of PAGEANT?
A: My favorite part of PAGEANT is the opening number “Natural Born Female” – I love hearing the reaction from the audience!

The cast of Lyric’s 2004 production of PAGEANT. Photo by Wendy Mutz.

Q: What’s the biggest challenge of directing this show?
A: The biggest challenge when directing this show is to not go too far over the top. Finding the right balance between the sincere want from the contestants to win the pageant and the ridiculousness of the pageant is very challenging- but I can’t say more than that. I don’t want to give anything away!

Christopher Sieker as Miss Bible Belt. Photo by KO Rinearson. 

Q: Why did you want to direct this show in particular?
A: I saw this show for the first time in 2003 and fell in love with it. It is a fun and wacky show, and I thought I would have a good time working on it. The opportunity to look at pageants in a new way was appealing to me.

Thank you, Ashley! PAGEANT runs January 28 through February 15 at Lyric’s Plaza Theatre, and tickets start at only $25. We hope you’ll join us at the show and pick the future Miss Glamouresse!