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Dramarama Offers Queer Kids a More Realistic View of Coming Out
Subverting its genre, the upcoming film is for young people who are not quite yet ready to come out just yet.
There's a new trailer for Dramarama, the anticipated new film about a group of theatre-loving friends staging one last gathering before college.
Set in 1994, the autobiographical film by Jonathan Wysocki is centered on a closeted teen, Gene (Nick Pugliese), who says goodbye to his crew at a Victorian-themed murder mystery sleepover party. (Miss Havisham and Sherlock Holmes are among the distinguished guests.)
At said party, each young person grapples with coming to terms with their sexuality, their relationships with one another, and their faith; they were raised in conservative Christian and Catholic communities. The bubble is burst by the arrival of an acquaintance, JD (Zak Henri), who holds an unpleasant mirror up to the gathering.
In an interview with The Advocatetied to the production's Outfest premiere last summer, Wysocki said he hoped to subvert the genre of the coming-out film "because I felt strongly about telling a story where the character is not ready yet -- and that's OK. I like that it sends a message to closeted kids that if you don't feel safe in your environment, it's fine to wait."
"We have so many amazing coming-out films that show good and bad things happening to their protagonists once they come out -- what about a film where the person decides they're just not ready?" he added. "Since that was my experience in high school, it also felt like the more honest route as well."
Dramarama comes out in theaters August 13. Dress up as your favorite Victorian character and watch the trailer below!
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Daniel Reynolds is the editor-in-chief of Out and an award-winning journalist who focuses on the intersection between entertainment and politics. This Jersey boy has now lived in Los Angeles for more than a decade.
Daniel Reynolds is the editor-in-chief of Out and an award-winning journalist who focuses on the intersection between entertainment and politics. This Jersey boy has now lived in Los Angeles for more than a decade.
