The Great American Trailer Park Musical
The Great American Trailer Park Musical
Music and Lyrics by David Nehls
Book by Betsy Kelso
Directed and Choreographed by Scott A. Cook
Starring Michelle Bouroughs, Christopher Alan Norton, and Erin Brenna
Produced by Theatre Works Florida
Silver Venue, 2010 Orlando International Fringe Festival</strong>
Wow, here’s this year’s big budget show – elaborate sets, a big cast, great costumes, and two, count ‘em TWO follow spots! Trailer trash is always easy to pick on, but while this show mocks the Wal-Mart set, it never condescended. Not too much, anyway. Stark, Florida is the setting for the Armadillo Acres trailer park and the state pen. Jeannie (Bouroughs) hasn’t left her trailer for almost 20 years, not since her baby was snatched away. Loyal hubby Norbert (Norton) is near the end of his rope; he has Ice Capades tickets for their 20th anniversary and wants to do something special. While looking for his brother at the Litter Box Show Palace, he meets pole dancing Pippi (Brenna) and they start a torrid affair that lasts until her Magic Marker huffing boyfriend Duke (Sam Little) arrives. This is a musical, so all I’ll say is the ending isn’t as bloody as it might be.
There’s some great music is here, if you can hear it over the awful sound mix. The chorus sounds OK, but Norbert’s mike isn’t always plugged in, and the principals are way too loud for most of the songs. These tech problems dominated the second performance of this show, and I hope that they get them straightened out. Norbert and Jeannie both seem like the really decent people you hope move in next door. Their big break up song “You Are the Owner of Your Heart” was moving, as was Jeannie’s “My Love’s Been Flushed Down the Pipes.” Whacked out Duke feels like he’s ready to shoot you, or at least highlight your text book. The chorus (Heather Spillane, Katrina Johnson, and Lana Stevens) looked and sounded great, and their big production number “Storm’s a brewing’ “ rocked the light gallery.
The set is noteworthy as well: Designer James F Beck created a forest of trailer silhouettes that roll back and forth. Norbert and Jeannie’s living room slides out from behind them, reveling their “Mallards in Flight” wall paper and a collection of ceramic figurines which ads a homey tough to the doublewide. Lights and flamingos festoon the corregated tin backdrop, the dancing pole and a spare door or two roll seamlessly on and off stage, and except for the sound mix, this is an exceptionally profession show.
This event is part of the 2010 Orlando International Fringe Festival. For schedule and ticket information, please visit http://OrlandoFringe.org
