Winter’s Texas-born producer and writer, Del Shores (“Queer as Folk, Sordid Lives”), is returning to Dallas with a new movie “Southern Baptist Sissies.” “Southern Baptist Sissies,” which has already won 8 Audience Awards, is the theatrical experience of the play written of the same name. The movie isn’t an adaptation, although we’d love to see that *cough* HERE TV *cough*, but it’s a recording of the stage play from the theater.
The play comes from Del Shore’s anger towards the hate the church preaches. “In 1998, in the aftermath of the murder of Matthew Shepard, I saw a news article with a photo of one of the killer’s apartments and on the wall was a prominent picture of Jesus. It made me wonder – was this young man who committed this heinous murder of an innocent, young gay man taught by his pastor, parents and church to spew hate in the name of the Lord? I grew up in those pews, too, in a tiny Texas town. I thought I had dealt with all of my anger with the church, but this incident brought back all the damage and all the rage. The result was my most personal play – Southern Baptist Sissies.” says Del. The show had a ten-month sold-out run in 2000 and 2002. Del received multiple Best Direction and Best Writing awards, and the play won the GLAAD Award for Outstanding Production of the Year.
“Southern Baptist Sissies” covers the painful journey connected with growing up gay inside a church that preaches it’s a sin. The story chronicles the journey of four, young, gay men (played by Willam Belli, Matthew Scott Montgomery, Luke Stratte-McClure, and Emerson Collins) coming of age in their Southern Baptist Church. All of them deal with their gay identity in various ways and search for a means to reconcile them with teachings of the church.
Other cast members include: Emmy award winner Leslie Jordan, Newell Alexander, Rosemary Alexander, Bobbie Eakes, Ann Walker, Joe Patrick Ward, and “Sorid Lives” favorite Dale Dickey.
The film will be in Dallas from April 17th through the 19th, for three screenings only, at the 600 seat Texas Theatre in Oak Cliff at 231 W Jefferson Blvd, Dallas, TX 75208. Phone: (214) 948-1546
Additionally, each screening will have special guests:
Thursday, April 17 – Emerson Collins, Del Shores & special guest Willam Belli (from RuPaul’s Drag Race)
Friday, April 18 – Emerson Collins, Del Shores & special guest Leslie Jordan
Saturday, April 19 – Emerson Collins, Del Shores & composer Joe Patrick Ward
$10 Tickets can be pre-purchased here: https://www.movietickets.com/pre_purchase.asp?movie_id=168896&house_id=26144