Indiana teen lands career opportunity after making date's prom dress

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- An Indiana teenager's romantic gesture has gone viral, and now it's turned into a career opportunity.

According to a report by Fox 59, Parker Smith made national headlines in the spring when he made his date's prom dress. It was his first work ever, and the finished product shot across the nation.

Smith said he never expected the media coverage and called it "totally bizarre."

"I had only sewed two stitches before I did it," he said. "Every big moment out of it, we were just having fun."

Word also got around to Footlite Musicals in Indy. Bob Harbin is directing their Cinderella show this month, but he used to be the head of casting for FOX network. It's an understatement to say he can spot talent. Harbin and Smith shared a mutual friend in one of the teen's teachers.

"He was looking for a maker of a dress," Smith said. "My teacher said I might know a kid."

"She said, 'Oh, you know that kid, that kid who did that prom dress thing?'" Harbin said. "When you see the work, his sketches, the guy's got it or the guy doesn't, and he's definitely talented."

They asked him to create the dress for their Cinderella. Smith created two dresses, with one being a peasant's dress that morphs into Cinderella's ball gown on stage.

"Through a series of tabs, spinning and a magical actress, this can turn into this," Smith said, showing how one dress becomes the other in mere moments.

Cinderella is just finishing up shows this week. They will go on from Thursday through Sunday, Dec. 15.