This production was a breath of fresh air. It was a musical whose songs were new to me but were still memorable, catchy, & less campy than expected (very Bat Boy-esque). I didn’t realize The Great American Trailer Park Musical has had such a rich/international production history: it debuted in 2004 at New York Music Theatre Festival. In 2005, TGATPM premiered Off-Broadway Dodger Stages on September 27, 2005. In 2006, it made its’ regional debut at the Hippodrome State Theatre in Gainsville Florida. 2008 marked the 1st National Tour, with the same cast taking to show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. 2008 also marked TGATPM’s English premiere in Birmingham, England. In 2010, Arizona Onstage Productions in Tucson, AZ presented TGATTM as the world’s first scratch-and-sniff musical (the audience was handed out cards to scratch & sniff at different points throughout the show). TGATPM also made its’ Australian debut in 2010 with a production at New Theatre in Newtown, Sydney. The fact that this musical has existed & continued to be performed means the piece is quality, somewhat timeless work. It was a very smart choice for Kokandy Production’s premiere production: it is a quality show that is relatively unknown but is still appealing to a wide range of people. Kokandy Productions is a new company started by by Scot Kokandy; he has previously co-produced Towle Theatre's GOOD BOYS AND TRUE & was one of the awesome People of Godspell who joined together in produced GODSPELL on Broadway (a movement ultimately incorporated by my buddy Ken Davenport). TGATPM marks the company’s first full production & it presented a wonderful first impression. Check out their blog & keep an eye out for their future productions; I predict this company brings some great work to the stage.
The production was performed impeccably with a keen eye on details. One detail that was very much appreciated: a good program. It is my firm belief that a production should take pride in the details & establish as much of a sense of continuity in the theatre space as possible. I have been to recent productions that didn’t even hand out a program (infuriating, in my book). This program was engaging & cleverly constructed (rules for living in a trailer park, faux ads, etc.); the program lacked cast bios, but it was a very nice touch otherwise. That acute attention to detail was equally apparent onstage: from the hair claws to the Cheetos, the artistic & production staff was clearly committed to wholly creating this world within the trailer park. The set was impressive; it was not only visually appealing, but also smart & vibrant utilization of a constricted space. There stationary set consisted of three trailers, one of which had a cut-out in the front so that actors could use the interior space to provide a sense of dimension. It is especially imperative for this specific show to have a stellar set since the setting is a character in itself. Set designer Zachary Gipson created a community that was part cartoon campground, part honky-tonk hang-out, & entirely awesome.
The production was performed impeccably with a keen eye on details. One detail that was very much appreciated: a good program. It is my firm belief that a production should take pride in the details & establish as much of a sense of continuity in the theatre space as possible. I have been to recent productions that didn’t even hand out a program (infuriating, in my book). This program was engaging & cleverly constructed (rules for living in a trailer park, faux ads, etc.); the program lacked cast bios, but it was a very nice touch otherwise. That acute attention to detail was equally apparent onstage: from the hair claws to the Cheetos, the artistic & production staff was clearly committed to wholly creating this world within the trailer park. The set was impressive; it was not only visually appealing, but also smart & vibrant utilization of a constricted space. There stationary set consisted of three trailers, one of which had a cut-out in the front so that actors could use the interior space to provide a sense of dimension. It is especially imperative for this specific show to have a stellar set since the setting is a character in itself. Set designer Zachary Gipson created a community that was part cartoon campground, part honky-tonk hang-out, & entirely awesome.
The Players
Jennifer Wisegarver (Donna), Ashley Braxton (Lin), Danni Smith (Betty),
Alex Grelle (Duke), Bri Schumacher (Pippi), Jonathan Hickerson (Norbert), Christina Hall (Jeannie)
Jennifer Wisegarver (Donna), Ashley Braxton (Lin), Danni Smith (Betty) served as our Greek chorus; they gave exposition & insight on the characters & community while still playing isolated, independent roles. The singing capabilities of this cast were exceptional across the board & these women were steely belters who made 3 voices fill the space like a full ensemble. Their internal interactions were also notable: it was evident that these actresses have developed a strong performance connection and were [justifiably] confident onstage. As Norbert & Duke, Jonathan Hickerson & Alex Grelle provided nice punctuating moments in this female-heavy ensemble. Hickerson was an especially strong actor & carrying the bulk of the show’s conflict. The two stand-out performances were by Christina Hall as Jeannie (the agoraphobic wife trying to muster the strength to leave her trailer for her anniversary) & Bri Schumacher as Pippi (a dancer who’s the newest resident of Armadillo Acres & having an affair with Betty’s husband). Both of these women were impressive singers who performed their respective roles without turning them into cardboard, bland stereotypes. They nailed the jokes & an understanding of what made their characters fun & funny, but did not do the easy & obvious disservice to the production by relying too heavily on the humorous aspects of the show. This cast is a rarity considering there really were no weak links; but that sentiment could be applied to the entire production: no weak link & no complaints (except for the lack of cast bios, but I can let that slide).
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This was also my first Theatre Thursday experience, but more on that later...
This was also my first Theatre Thursday experience, but more on that later...
