ATX Television Festival Asks You to Dare Me

USA's adaptation of Megan Abbott's Dare Me gets its marquee pilot premiere at ATX Television Festival 2018

OK, get in position: Dare Me, the USA Network’s adaptation of Megan Abbott’s novel about the triumphs and perils of competitive high school cheerleading, will get a marquee pilot screening at this year’s ATX Television Festival.

Not only will the fest get the first glimpse of the show, with a screening of the pilot (directed by Steph Green, The Americans), but Abbott (who also wrote and executive produced) will be on hand, alongside Megan Abbott, who serves as writer and executive producer along with executive producer Gina Fattore (Gilmore Girls, Californication) Here's the skinny from the festival (running June 6-9):

Dare Me dives into the cutthroat world of competitive high school cheerleading, following the fraught relationship between two best friends after a new coach (Willa Fitzgerald) arrives to bring their team to prominence. Part coming-of-age story, part small-town drama, part murder mystery, the series exposes the physical and psychological extremes that some young women are willing to endure in order to get ahead.

Also added today:

• The premiere screening of Sherman’s Showcase, IFC’s new musical variety sketch comedy show, hosted by Sherman McDaniels (series co-creator Bashir Salahuddin) who takes the viewers through the 40 year archive of his Soul Train-esque show. Salahuddin and co-creator Diallo Riddle (Marlon, Rise) will be on-hand for a post-screening Q&A.

• Comedy Central's Alternatino with Arturo Castro, a new sketch comedy putting a fresh perspective on the Latino experience in America (Castro in attendance).

• An early look at season 2 of Freeform’s Good Trouble, the spin-off of their hit show The Fosters. Expect showrunner/executive producer Joanna Johnson, and star Maia Mitchell, and more for a Q&A.

• Casting directors Sherry Thomas (The Twilight Zone), Rachel Tenner (Fargo) and Carrie Audino (The Terror) discuss Casting Anthologies in a panel hosted by the Casting Society of America.

This latest programming announcements join a growing schedule that includes earlier announcements of a Men in Trees reunion, and a special gathering of the presidents of SAG-AFTRA, WGAW, and the DGA.

ATX Television Festival runs June 6-9 in Downtown Austin. Details and tickets at atxfestival.com.