'A Very Sordid Wedding' Kicks Off Final Screening Tour

On Monday, October 2, NewFest, New York's LGBT film and media arts organization, and SVA Theatre proudly present the New York Red Carpet Premiere of award-winning writer/director Del Shores' latest film, "A Very Sordid Wedding," the outrageously funny sequel to his play, movie and TV series "Sordid Lives."

"Sordid Lives" creator Del Shores ("Blues For Willadean," "Southern Baptist Sissies," "Queer A Folk"), producer/star Emerson Collins (Bravo's "The People's Couch") and stars Caroline Rhea ("Sabrina, the Teenage Witch"), Leslie Jordan ("Will & Grace"), Ann Walker ("Sordid Lives"), Blake McIver (Bravo's "The People's Couch") and other guests will be in appearance for the red carpet and screening followed by a Q&A. Immediately following will be a reception sponsored by Stoli�.

The film brings back an all-star ensemble cast of characters, rooted in the Southern Baptist world of Winters, Texas, in the weeks following the U.S. Supreme Court's same-sex marriage equality ruling where not everyone there is ready to accept it. Since the film's World Premiere in March in Palm Springs, Calif., where it received the country's highest per-screen specialty box office average its opening weekend, "A Very Sordid Wedding" expanded nationwide enjoying an explosive audience response screening in 46 markets with 25 sold-out premiere events to date including Los Angeles, Dallas, Austin, Salt Lake City, Tulsa, Kansas City, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Birmingham, Nashville, Lexington, Atlanta, Charlotte, Denver and New Orleans, just to name a few, with more cities still to come including San Francisco, Portland, Chicago, Indianapolis, Washington, DC, and more. The film will also be available on DVD, Blu-ray, and iTunes on Oct. 17. For further updates on the film's release, visit http://www.averysordidwedding.com/.

The Huffington Post proclaims "A Very Sordid Wedding" as "much more than a wonderful movie, but a game-changer In LGBT politics," Film Journal International raves, "If you liked the original, the overdue sequel to 'Sordid Lives' will both delight you and warm your ever-lovin' heart." The Hollywood Reporter says the film "offers some undeniably entertaining moments, and its talented ensemble, clearly encouraged to pull out all the stops, delivers their comic shtick with admirable gusto."

The ensemble cast of 32 actors is led by Bonnie Bedelia ("Parenthood"), Caroline Rhea ("Sabrina, the Teenage Witch"), Dale Dickey (Independent Spirit Award winner "Winter's Bone"), Leslie Jordan (Emmy winner "Will & Grace") with cast members from the original "Sordid Lives" film Newell Alexander ("August: Osage County"), Rosemary Alexander, Kirk Geiger, Sarah Hunley, Lorna Scott ("Wanted") and Ann Walker.� New additions to the "Sordid Lives" world include Emerson Collins ("The People's Couch"), Levi Kreis (Tony winner "Million Dollar Quartet"), Carole Cook ("Sixteen Candles"), Alec Mapa ("Ugly Betty"), Aleks Paunovic ("Van Helsing"), Katherine Bailess ("Hit The Floor") and a cameo from Whoopi Goldberg.

"Sordid Lives," Del Shores' fourth play, opened in Los Angeles in 1996 and in 1999. Shores wrote and directed the film adaption of "Sordid Lives," which became a cult phenomenon. In 2002, Twentieth Century Fox released the DVD/Video, which has now sold over 300,000 units. The film was re-released by Wolfe Video in 2014. "Sordid Lives: The Series," a 12-episode TV series prequel to the "Sordid Lives" film, premiered on MTV's LOGO network in 2008.

"Since the original film was released, people wrote me daily asking for more 'Sordid Lives.' So many of my LGBTQ fans, of all ages, came out to their folks by showing them 'Sordid Lives' because the humor helped them share their own story," explains writer, director, and producer Del Shores. "Bringing these beloved characters up to 2015 to face the reality of marriage equality allowed me to contrast affirming churches with the hypocritical bigotry that is still being spewed from pulpits represented by the 'Anti-Equality Rally' in the film. The reaction across the country has been overwhelming. We've had sold-out crowds from Palm Springs to Waco to Atlanta to Toronto with applause breaks in the film in every screening. It's exciting knowing the fans are loving this final 'Sordid' chapter, and new fans are joining us for the first time!"

"Our film exploring the impact of religious bigotry and religious exemption laws couldn't have come at a more timely moment in our history," continues producer and star Emerson Collins. "The current administration continues to target LGBTQ people. At the same time, as we've traveled the country with the film, one of the most rewarding responses we've heard repeatedly is how much audiences are enjoying the opportunity to laugh together during our film before it delivers a powerful message."

As the original film dealt with coming out in a conservative Southern world, "A Very Sordid Wedding" explores the questions, bigotry and the fallout of what happens when gay marriage comes to communities and families that are not quite ready to accept it. Bigoted "religious freedom," marriage equality and cultural acceptance are all explored with Del Shores' trademark approach to using comedy and his much beloved "Sordid Lives" characters to deal with these important current social issues and the very real process of accepting your family for who they are instead of who you want them to be.

"A Very Sordid Wedding" screening will take place on Monday, October 2 at 8 p.m. (doors open at 7:30 p.m.) at SVA Theatre, 333 West 23rd Street, in New York City.

For information or tickets, visit http://newfest.org/film/sordid-wedding