Monday, July 23, 2018
Review: New Musical MUTT HOUSE Belongs to the Dogs
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| Ben Palacios, Max Wilcox, Garrett Marshall, Ryan McCartan, Amanda Leigh Jerry and Gabriel González. All photos by Daren Scott |
Singing strays and the humans who love them are the focus of the world premiere musical Mutt House, currently on stage in a guest production at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. The cute, sweet story about learning to believe in yourself isn’t a musical for deep introspection, but it does offer a good time with its charming songs, lovable mutts, and a fun production design.
Stephen Gifford creates human-sized cages with detached rolling doors to fit the actors playing dogs in the dilapidated shelter but edges them in bright neon tubing (lighting by Matthew Brian Denman), perhaps as an indicator that these unfortunate mutts could be the show dogs of their dreams if only given the chance. Happily, they do get to strut their stuff with songs that highlight each of their unique personalities and they sound terrific under musical director Anthony Lucca’s guidance.
For Pepe (Gabriel González), an energetic Chihuahua, it is a Latin-flavored up-tempo number. For Donna (Amanda Leigh Jerry), a mutt from the Bronx, it’s a sassy comedy beach-rock song. Sophie (Valerie Larsen), an award winning poodle with breeding, gets a smoky laid-back jazz cut and when Digger (Ben Palacios), the coolest and happiest of Golden Labradors, takes over the lead it morphs into a speak-singing number that’s not quite rap, not quite lyrical, but completely infectious and winning as can be. Max (Max Wilcox) is the resident sweet, comic Corgi, and Bradley (Garrett Marshall), the lovable Eeyore of the group, plays a sadsack Pit Bull.
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| Garrett Marshall, Ryan McCartan, and Ben Palacios |
The songs are written by Tony Cookson, creator and bookwriter of the show, who enlists the aid of John Daniel, Robb Curtis Brown and David O to help create the 16+ numbers that make up the score. Most of them exist as stand-alone songs and are orchestrated by David O, which means the vocals come packed with lovely harmonies and melodies that are pleasing to the ear.
Cookson’s juvenile book, however, still needs depth and polish. At the moment, it is better suited for the After School Special crowd rather than for adults looking for the next smart, sophisticated musical. Sincerity will get you part of the way but a show needs more than that to give it legs.
The story isn’t complex. Eddie (Ryan McCartan), an insecure young man who works at the local shelter and is able to talk to the animal,s must summon up his courage and come to the aid of his friends – the dogs – when the city decides to shut them down. A love interest emerges in Hannah (Claire Adams), the girl Eddie had a crush on in junior high and who now works in the repulsive mayor’s (Heather Ott) office. We also learn that Eddie was bullied in school and that his boss Gerry (Boise Holmes) is a nice guy with a secret crush of his own. It’s a foregone conclusion that Eddie will eventually save the day and find romance in the process.
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| Valerie Larsen, Ben Palacios. Gabriel González and Garrett Marshall |
The dogs are adorably decked out by Allison Dillard (costumes, hair & make-up). Janet Roston’s cute choreography adds pizzazz but dialogue scenes are flat in comparison. Scene transitions are choppy, with director Ryan Bergmann staging set-up movement for the next scene in the dark on one side of the stage while the lit scene we’re watching is still going on. The problem is, we can see them moving and it distracts us from what we should be watching. Some scenes end abruptly; others feel sketchy as they move to the next one without transition music or a sense of completion. In a smaller house, it might be possible to overlook the ragged edges but, on the Douglas’ larger stage, everything is exposed.
And yet, we do love a dog musical. Animals have a way of making a beeline straight to your heart and Mutt House’s fetching mongrels are no exception. These singing and dancing four-legged friends are sure to make you smile.
MUTT HOUSE
July 10 – August 5, 2018
Kirk Douglas Theatre
9820 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232
Tickets: 213-628-2772 or www.MuttHouseTheMusical.com
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| Amanda Leigh Jerry and Ben Palacios |
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| Boise Williams and Ryan McCartan |
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| Claire Adams and Ryan McCartan |
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Labels: kirk douglas theatre
Friday, November 17, 2017
Review: Hamilton Who? SPAMILTON Reigns Supreme at the Kirk Douglas Theatre
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| L-R: Zakiya Young, Wilkie Ferguson III, William Cooper Howell, John Devereaux and Dedrick A Bonner. All photos by Craig Schwartz |
For the last 25 years, Gerardo Alessandrini has paid homage to the Great American Musical in the best way he knows how, by skewering it relentlessly. It is an arena where nothing is off limits - no diva, no composer, and no quirk of the genre, which is why his Forbidden Broadway revues are as beloved as any book musical to grace the Great White Way.
Musical lovers love their musicals, but they’re also quick to tell you what they hate. And what they hate, they love to make fun of. Therein lies the secret to Alessandrini’s success. For every fan of Les Mis who longs for the return of the turntable, there is another who secretly hopes the whole overblown affair will finally die in the wings.
Now, the biggest game-changer since Rodgers and Hammerstein, Andrew Lloyd Webber, or Stephen Sondheim came on the scene, has given him fodder for a new installment in his popular franchise - Lin-Manuel Miranda and his multi-Tony Award-winning mega-hit, Hamilton: An American Musical. Reinvented as Spamilton: An American Parody, Alessandrini takes a giant leap forward in the way he spoofs Hamilton’s entire epic saga. The result is a buoyant thrill ride of hilarity that never lets up.
In a happy coincidence, both productions are currently running in LA, one in Culver City and the other in Hollywood. I happened to see them both for the first time within a week of each other, which only made it more obvious how remarkable each is in its own right.
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| L-R: Wilkie Ferguson III, John Devereaux, William Cooper Howell, Zakiya Young and Dedrick A. Bonner |
Without a doubt, Hamilton is the wave of the future, representing a Broadway that is inclusive, forward thinking, open to reinterpretation, and rich in musical forms that draw as much from popular styles as they do traditional ones. It is a masterful work, monumentally important at every level.
The story, ripped from the pages of American history and told by a multiculturally diverse cast using hip-hop as its basis, was unlike anything Broadway had ever seen or knew it wanted (although In the Heights already proved Miranda was on to something). It’s no wonder it took over the musical theatre world like a speeding train.
Both Hamilton and Spamilton are written to entertain, and both are smart, complex, and exciting works. But where Hamilton reinvents the genre itself and opens up conversations of many kinds, Spamilton’s goal is much simpler. Its singular reason for existing is to make you laugh, and because it sees everything about the Hamilton phenomenon as fair game, it takes its jabs wherever it pleases.
Song by song, Spamilton deconstructs its object of affection and reinvents it, beginning with the iconic opening number “Alexander Hamilton,” which now sends up “Lin-Manuel as Hamilton” and turns “His Shot” into a crusade wherein he declares he is “not going to let Broadway rot.”
Charismatic William Cooper Howell nails Miranda’s style and attitude with a knowing smile that never lets us forget he isn’t taking anything too seriously. That’s Wilkie Ferguson III’s role, channeling (beautifully) original cast member Leslie Odom Jr.’s intensity and competitive spirit as Aaron Burr.
John Devereaux, in the Daveed Diggs roles of Thomas Jefferson and the Marquis de Lafayette, turns the crowd-pleasing “What Did I Miss” into a bouncy “What Did You Miss,” poking fun at how fast Miranda’s lyrics go by. He also goes old school rap in a mash-up of “Guns and Ships” and Will Smith’s Fresh Prince of Bel Air theme song, now rewritten as “The Fresh Prince of Big Hair.” You get the idea.
Zakiya Young handles all three Schuyler sisters as originally played by Phillipa Soo, Renée Elise Goldsberry, and Jasmine Cephas Jones, with the help of two Avenue Q-style puppets. Young has an impressive ability to change her vocal sound to match whichever character she is channeling, including heavy hitters like Audra McDonald and J-Lo, who also make appearances in the show. Miranda writes the personality of each sister into the way she sings her own name in Hamilton and it is particularly fun to hear how Young interprets those differences.
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| L-R: Wilkie Ferguson III, Zakiya Young and Dedrick A. Bonner |
Glenn Bassett returns to play wacky King George, the role he originated Off-Broadway in a twist that finds the character pouting over the lack of gays on Broadway now that Hamilton has straightened things up. During the song, he invites the audience to sing a chorus along with him consisting of a single word, “gay, gay, gay, gay gay” and the absurdity of that moment brings home Alessandrino’s ability to cut right to the heart of the zinger.
The Sondheim section gives Dedrick A. Bonner the spotlight as a Yoda-Ben Franklin who counsels Howell with wise words from Into the Woods, and later on, as the single biggest sight gag in the show. It is an automatic hold for laughs and traditional musical lovers will eat it up when they see it.
In addition to the Hamilton parodies, the show also pays tribute to a host of other musical theatre gems in rapid-fire mentions. The King and I, Sunset Boulevard, Wicked, Gypsy, Assassins, Aladdin, and West Side Story are only a few of the many slipped in that speed by so quickly you’ll need to pay attention or you’ll miss them.
The Beggar Woman (Susanne Blakeslee) from Sweeney Todd gets a running gag based on the high cost of Hamilton tickets but it is one of the few jokes that doesn’t gather much steam. Appearances by Liza Minelli and Barbra Streisand, though expertly recreated by Blakeslee, also don’t organically fit this new incarnation of parody musical as they have in past Forbidden Broadways. Here they feel more like filler and the show just doesn’t need it.
Alessandrino’s stripped-down staging and Gerry McIntyre’s shorthand version of the original choreography is delivered with precision and boundless energy by the ensemble. Diction, specifics, timing...it’s all there. Musical director James Lent, at the piano, has polished this dime store dream until it shines like Tiffany glass.
A central Spamilton show card serves as the lone backdrop to disguise the vast number of goofy props, eccentric characters, and other surprises that will emerge throughout the performance.
Spamilton was tailor-made for the trivial pursuit-inclined musical theatre lover and for Hamilton fans who can’t get enough. If you fit into either of these categories, this is your show. If you don’t, the cast is so likeable and entertaining you won’t even care if you miss a few jokes. It’s a roller coaster ride with a ticket you can afford and a guaranteed good time to go with it. I couldn’t get enough.
SPAMILTON
Nov 5, 2017 – Jan 7, 2018
Kirk Douglas Theatre
9820 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232
Tickets: (213) 628-2772 or www.CenterTheatreGroup.org
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| William Cooper Howell |
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| John Devereaux |
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| L-R: Wilkie Ferguson III, John Devereaux and Zakiya Young |
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| Glenn Bassett |
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| Wilkie Ferguson III |
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| William Cooper Howell and Dedrick A. Bonner |
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Labels: center theatre group, kirk douglas theatre
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Photo Flash: First Look at the cast of SPAMILTON in Rehearsals
Can’t get tickets to Hamilton? Head on over to the Kirk Douglas Theatre for Spamilton, Gerard Alessandrini’s outrageous parody musical almost as popular as the original it spoofs. The show runs November 5 – December 31 and tickets for the west coast premiere are on sale now at www.CenterTheatreGroup.org.The cast includes Glenn Bassett, Susanne Blakeslee, Dedrick A. Bonner, Becca Brown, John Devereaux, Wilkie Ferguson III, William Cooper Howell, Elijah Reyes and Zakiya Young, with choreography by Gerry McIntyre, music supervision and arrangements by Fred Barton, music direction by James Lent, set and props design by Glenn Bassett, costume design by Dustin Cross, lighting design by Karyn D. Lawrence and sound design by Adam Phalen. Here’s a look at the cast in rehearsal. Don’t miss the fun!
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| L-R: Cast members Dedrick A. Bonner, William Cooper Howell, John Devereaux, Elijah Reyes, Wilkie Ferguson III and Zakiya Young. All photos by Craig Schwartz |
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| William Cooper Howell |
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| Wilkie Ferguson III |
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| Zakiya Young |
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| John Devereaux |
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| Glenn Bassett |
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| Dedrick A. Bonner |
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| Elijah Reyes |
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| L-R: Dedrick A. Bonner, Glenn Bassett, William Cooper Howell, Zakiya Young, Elijah Reyes, John Devereaux and Wilkie Ferguson III. |
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Labels: center theatre group, kirk douglas theatre
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Review: 50 Shades! The Musical - A Parody with Balls
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| Sheila O'Connor, Caroline Reade, Tiffany Dissette, BJ Gruber, Alexis Field. Photos by Ed Krieger. |
Girls’ night out just got a whole lot sassier now that 50 Shades! The Musical has arrived in LA for a month’s run at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, and women are coming out in droves to see what a group of comedy writers have done with their not-so-secret obsession. I’ll say this – it’s got balls alright.
You’d have to be living under a rock not to have heard of the erotic phenom Fifty Shades of Grey that serves as the basis for this unabashedly kinky musical parody. Nicknamed “mommy porn” for its frank portrayal of the budding BDSM relationship between a naïve college girl, and a hot, young billionaire, you’d never call it a literary masterpiece. The dialogue is cheesy and its scenes are graphically raw, but the appeal for women of all ages is undeniable. Middle-aged housewives everywhere are living vicariously through the sexual exploits of Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey. Even young professionals are fantasizing behind closed doors about what it would be like to be taken care of – in every way – by a man who is, by his own admission, “fifty shades of f*ucked-up.”
All this attention has caused E. L. James’ trilogy to skyrocket to the top of bestseller lists worldwide since debuting in 2011 (Fifty Shades of Grey) and 2012 (Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed). The brand has also become a merchandiser’s dream. You can buy Fifty Shades wine bottles, jewelry, sex toys, ties, and T-shirts sporting Christian’s favorite phrase, “Laters, baby.” You can read a hard copy of the book, listen to an audiobook, download an ebook, and if you can wait until 2015, you’ll be able to see Fifty Shades of Grey on the big screen.
Or, you can grab your girlfriends, get a driver, and head on down to Culver City for a spicy, musicalized version that never dreams of taking itself seriously. 50 Shades! The Musical is meant to be fun.
Don’t expect it to be an out-and-out reproduction of what you’ve read in the book, however, because it’s not. It’s a parody; it’s not the book. It’s not at all serious but it sure is hilarious, as long as you go along for the right ride. Sex is a subject that is always ripe for skewering and 50 Shades! hits its subject hard. It not only spoofs its source material but also its own fans, and the book clubs it has inspired, in the process. (Musical theatre lovers – it also sends up a couple of the greats so watch for those moments as well.)
For starters, there is plenty of bare-chested beefcake in the show, but none of it will come from Christian Grey. A shameless Jack Boice tweaks this male model of perfection with an incredibly rich, disgusting, eccentric, and inspired performance that will either make you shake your head or scream out loud depending on which song he’s singing. “I Don’t Make Love” is his sweaty showstopper that I’m sure two women in the front row will never forget while “Red Room” opens the second act in twinkling Gilbert & Sullivan style. (Music & lyrics are attributed to a team of writers: Albert Samuels, Amanda B. Davis, Dan Wessels, Jody Shelton and Ashley Ward and the book by these four plus Emily Dorezas).
Eileen Patterson is utterly adorable as the virginal Ana and perfectly cast in the role. She sings beautifully and plays it straight from beginning to end, whether she’s singing the double entendre-laden “There’s a Hole Inside of Me,” doing a hysterical bed ballet with Boice, or getting spanked in a compromising position in front of 300 audience members.
Glennis McCarthy returns to the role she originated, Ana’s roommate Katherine Kavanagh, for the Los Angeles run turning her into a cynical sex kitten complete with an over-the-top valley girl nasal twang. She, like the rest of the fearless ensemble, embraces the go big or go home element of sketch comedy that requires an actor to commit to his or her choices and take them as far as they possibly can. Nick Semar (Jose) certainly takes that note as Ana’s friend and hopeful Latin lover. Something as simple as developing the perfect character walk earns him plenty of comic mileage during his short stage time.
It isn’t necessary to have read the book to follow the story, but if you have, you’ll be able to appreciate the finer points of the humor. A trio of book club ladies – Sheila O’Connor (Carol), Tiffany Dissette (Pam) and McCarthy (doubling as Bev), takes care of the narration as they become increasingly involved in their new-found voyeuristic addiction. They blend nicely as a girl group, with Dissette delivering a powerful lead vocal that would do Aretha Franklin proud on the title song, “50 Shades!” BJ Gruber, Datus Puryear, and Caroline Reade as Ana’s Inner Goddess, are the sexy dancers who provide some not too subtle subtext to the story within the story.
The show is designed to travel in a trunk so there’s no set to speak of. An onstage 3-piece band sounds terrific on the songs, all of which go for the shock value of their lyrics rather than the inventiveness of their style. And that’s really what the show wants; a bold response from the audience for its brazen language and sexual innuendo. Love it or hate it, it does succeed in that mission.
With the right mindset 50 Shades! The Musical is a hilarious time. You don’t need to have a few drinks to enjoy it, but let me tell you, it sure doesn’t hurt. We had the classic ladies night out experience, including drinks beforehand, perusing the table of lipstick vibrators and Red Room paraphernalia on display in the lobby, and laughing with the rest of the crowd in anticipation. No one said it was going to be high art, but judging from the women screaming with laughter around us, I’d say it was a 50 Shades! good time mission accomplished.
Ellen Dostal, Musicals in LA
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| Sheila O'Connor, Eileen Patterson, Tiffany Dissette and Alexis Field |
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| Eileen Patterson and Nick Semar |
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| The Cast of 50 Shades! The Musical |
50 SHADES! THE MUSICAL
February 25 - March 30, 2014
Kirk Douglas Theatre
9820 Washington Blvd. Culver City, CA 90232
Free parking available at Culver City Hall
(across Culver Blvd from the rear of the theatre) Entrance on Duquesne
Tickets: (213) 972-4488
www.50shadesmusical.com
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Labels: 50 shades, kirk douglas theatre
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Interview: The Wild World of 50 Shades! The Musical
It’s coming. Yes, it’s really coming. 50 Shades! The Musical is about to open in Los Angeles on February 25th and audiences have never been crazier over a show than this one. Based on the wildly popular book, 50 Shades of Grey, the musical parody takes the audience into the world of Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele through the eyes of a group of book club ladies who read the book together. The production is a collaboration between a team of comedy writers that includes Al Samuels, Emily Dorezas, Amanda Blake Davis, Jody Shelton, Ashley Ward and Dan Wessels, and it was written in an unconventional manner. Before it arrives, I had a chance to talk to writer, Emily Dorezas, who is also a producer and the show’s touring director, and Tiffany Dissette, who plays Pam, about how the musical got started and what we can expect to see.Emily Dorezas: 50 Shades from A Writer’s Perspective
What inspired you to write a parody of the book 50 Shades of Grey?
Emily: I think it was a couple of things. All of the writers come from a comedy background and whenever there’s a phenomenon, be it political or cultural, we know it’s ripe for comedy. Some of us hadn’t even read the book yet but there was such a frenzy around it that we realized there could be something to have fun with there. I think the juxtaposition of the material, which was provocative, and who was reading the material - conservative housewives - seemed to be something we wanted to make fun of.
Who came up with the idea to do a parody?
E: I’m also one of the producers, along with Marshall Cordell and Al Samuels, and one day Marshall said he had seen a news story about hardware stores running out of rope after the book came out. He’s this crazy entrepreneur and he was thinking maybe he should invest in a rope factory in China, but in the meantime, he said we should think about making fun of this. So even though Marshall isn’t one of the writers, it was definitely his idea. And then I think it was Al who said, let’s do a musical!
Did you all get together in a room to write, comedy sketch style, or did you work individually and then bring ideas in?
E: It was very much a complete collaboration because we had a very short amount of time to write it and put it up. Initially, the idea came in July 2012 and then, while we were in Scotland for something else, we got a date for the show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. That was three weeks after the idea came to life. We went from starting in a room together, to working on Google docs from an apartment in Scotland while some of the writers were writing in L.A. It was crazy. So in terms of writing style, it was much more like a TV show - all hands in - than it was a typical musical that takes longer to develop and workshop before it comes to life. Usually a musical takes a couple years with fewer writers. This took a team and we got it up fast.
How have audiences responded? Was there anything that surprised you?
E: The male reaction was the biggest surprise for me. As the tour went on, we would get these private messages via Facebook or our emails with guys thanking us because they had no idea what their wives and girlfriends were reading before they came to the show. They knew it was erotic but I think they thought the show would be ‘just a chick flick on stage’ and I’m quoting a guy on that. I think that is how most guys really come to the show. They’re kind of dragged there. One guy said the party hasn’t stopped since we got home last week, so I think it starts the conversation. These guys aren’t going to necessarily read the book but they’ll come and they’ll laugh together at a show and then realize… you’re into that? Okay, I had no idea.
What should the audience expect to see?
E: It’s a musical parody and it is definitely in the style of a Book of Mormon treatment of 50 Shades of Grey. We’re all deep in that world of Family Guy musicals and South Park musicals and SNL…that style of comedy, so it’s really fast and in your face. It’s not your typical musical comedy. This is funny first, and we have some great songs too. It’s not for kids but there’s no nudity. There’s a lot of suggestive body placement and there’s a ton of innuendo, and obviously there are a lot of terms that we did not shy away from that are in the book. But it’s a good laugh. You might not want to watch it with your parents...but your parents will have a great time at it.
How did you find the way to key into the story?
E: We wanted to make light of all of our friends and family that have read 50 Shades of Grey and so we felt the best way to do that was the book club. The culture of book clubs is really everybody hanging out and having a couple drinks and maybe you talk about the book and maybe you don’t. We wanted to have that kind of feel open the show and we also use the book club to frame it. If an audience member hasn’t read the book, like a husband or a boyfriend, we wanted something to guide them through.
Have you had book clubs and groups come to see the show?
E: Oh, yeah. We get a lot of large groups and group sales folks but we also get groups of 6 or 8, about the number you can fit in a minivan. They’re book clubs or girlfriends that maybe wouldn’t necessarily go to a theatre show but this is their night out.
Do you have a favorite moment that didn’t get left in the show?
E: We had a song that used to close the show called “B*tthole in Control” that isn’t in the show any longer. We had already hit those marks and we felt like it wasn’t the right way to end the show. It just wasn’t the right tone, but we all liked the song. So even though it doesn’t exist in the show anymore, it is on the digital version of the album because we all loved it so much.
How many productions do you have out right now?
E: The New York company opens about the same time we come to LA. It’s at the Electra Theatre in Times Square and in Los Angeles we’re at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. We also have shows in Paris and Holland, we’re about to open in Germany, and we’re also with Broadway Asia.
How does that feel?
E: Awesome! (she laughs) It’s the best. We have a great management partner, Act Five, and we could not be happier about those licenses because, while we have control over it, we give them a lot of flexibility to discover new things with the show; things that maybe we hadn’t thought of or maybe they’ve heightened different elements, so it’s really fun. I saw the Paris show and there was much more nudity than I ever dreamed of but that’s fine.
Have you had to deal with any censorship issues in any of your tour cities?
E: Not yet. People know that this is a pretty racy book. They know what they’re getting into. We’ve played the Bible belt and it’s just as crazy as anyplace else in terms of the audience reaction. They’re totally in it. If we do get a walkout or two it’s usually because people thought they were coming to a musical that was an exact representation of the book. I have found that there are certain folks who are so passionate about this book that they don’t want to laugh about it. It awakens them, for whatever reason, and I respect that. I just always like to be clear. It is a parody. It isn’t going to be an exact replica of the book you read.
Is there audience interaction in the show?
E: Not really. There are a few times the actors talk to the audience but there’s no audience reaction back. We don’t take anyone up on stage.
Have you had anything wild happen with audience members?
E: We’ve had some people grab at Christian and he gets underwear and other things thrown at him. I can’t remember where we were, but it was definitely what I would consider a pretty conservative area of the south. I was in the ladies room and I came out and realized that the men’s room also had ladies in it. I peeked in and there were some super straight-laced soccer moms that were loading up their lipstick vibrators that they just got. It was like the craziest concert but it was a musical theatre show. It was insane. They were all drunk, probably 50 of them in there, 4 of them using a urinal, 2 of them trying to figure out their lipstick vibrator and I was just thinking…you guys have to all go to church and see each other after this. You live in this town together.
Sounds like they had a great time! Do you have any idea what you'd like to do next after this show?
E: I’m based in LA and I did comedy in Chicago and toured colleges. I come from a stand-up background and when I moved to LA I never thought I was going to be doing a live musical tour. When I moved to LA I was definitely on a TV trajectory with the goal of being a show runner one day, so I’m going to be coming off the tour soon and I’m going to pick up where I left off with that.
Tiffany Dissette: 50 Shades from An Actor’s Perspective
Tiffany: Yes! It’s such a blast of a show. Pam is the one in the book club who introduces 50 Shades of Grey to the other two ladies and the book club helps narrate the story. If you haven’t read it, you’re following the story along with the book club ladies. They’re good liaisons for the audience because all three of them are caricatures of typical housewives that a lot of audience members can relate to.
Who are the other two ladies?
T: There’s Carol, who is the one who doesn’t really get it and she’s a little bit reserved, a little appalled by everything that’s happening. Bev is totally into it and she’s the one who’s a little drunker on the side. And then there’s Pam, who I’d say is the most sexually charged, sexually aware one of the housewives. She’s the one urging the other ladies to go on this adventure with her and really experience the story; she really opens up our eyes to this whole other world that exists that a lot of people don’t know about. It definitely has some raunchy elements to it but it’s a parody so it’s all in fun.
Has anything surprised you about the audiences that have come to see the show?
T: It’s interesting because it’s almost like the women who come to see the show are cult followers. You’ve heard of the Harry Potter fans or the Twilight fans…A lot of the people who come see the show are huge fans of the book. Many of the women will come in groups. It’s ladies night out and they’ll come dressed in masks with gray ties and riding crops. It can get wild.
Have you had any unusual experiences either onstage or after the show?
T: We’ve had ladies in the front row tapping the stage with their riding crops or throwing panties at Christian. It’s hilarious. We also adapt certain parts of the show to each city we’re in and some of the audiences go crazy for that.
Why do you think the 50 Shades trilogy has become such a phenomenon?
T: There have been erotic novels in the past but I think it’s the way it’s written. It’s very nonchalant. I think it started out as this naughty little secret and a woman would say to her girlfriend, have you read this book? Have you experienced this 50 Shades? And then it became more and more popular. Then book clubs started to read it and then it just took over and became this phenomenon - this story of an innocent sweet girl being completely taken over by this world. There are a lot of people that walk into the theater being very reserved and walk out feeling completely comfortable talking about some of the subject matter. It’s a good conversation starter!
How would you describe the style of the music?
T: It’s all original music, mostly contemporary musical theatre, accompanied by a 3-piece band. We do a couple of parodies of some well-known musicals like Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables so people who are knowledgeable in musical theatre will get those references as well.
Performances of 50 Shades! The Musical begin February 25 (opening night Feb. 26) at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, 9820 W. Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA. Click Here for tickets or call (213) 972-4488.
Performance Schedule:
Tues. Wed., Thurs. & Fri. 8:00pm,
Sat. 5pm & 9PM, Sun. 1pm & 6:30pm
http://50shadesthemusical.com/
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Labels: 50 shades, kirk douglas theatre