Disaster!

My thoughts on Disaster! or…run for this sinking ship.

“At first, I was afraid. I was petrified” because this was my sixth journey on the ill-fated Barracuda since arriving in DFW. I’ve enjoyed every production of this Seth Rudetsky and Jack Plotnick send up of 70’s disaster films as it is never the same and this incarnation under the direction of Neale Whitmore has many ingenious surprises that are “sky high” entertaining. Don’t worry, I won’t include any spoilers.

On this journey most of the action takes place in the casino of the ship. It is colorfully and creatively realized by set and lighting designer Josh Hensley who uses a raised bandstand. He suggests other locations by painted panels that slide on and off the performance area of the black box theater. The sound is designed by Andi Allen and the costumes of those polyester days are recreated authentically by Michael Robinson and Dallas Costume Shoppe.

It’s always fun to hear all those 70’s pop tunes and most especially here where the terrific onstage band led by Music Director Joey O’Reilly keeps the audience rocking and swaying for two hours. O’Reilly actually becomes part of the show and interacts with characters and can he ever work the keyboards and the saxophone. O’Reilly and the band are really “hot stuff” and Choreographer Amy Cave keeps the characters grooving to their beat with disco flavored retro moves.

One aspect of Disaster! that I admire is that there are no lead roles. Everyone here is a supporting player which adds to its “Love Boat” in trouble vibes. Director Whitmore has a talent gold mine of a cast of zanies assembled for this hilarious tragedy.

Mikey Abrams is Tony Del Vecchio, the unscrupulous, womanizing owner of the floating casino. Abrams is so brilliantly immersed in this sleazy, cocky, money-grubbing con man that I could barely recognize my favorite realtor. He makes the dastardly character a delight to watch. Andrea Fernandez Tom is the aging cabaret singer Jackie. Jackie, the mother of twins and still attractive, hopes that her current boyfriend Tony will finally be the one. She’s not the brightest bulb on the marquee and Tom captures all of Jackie’s exasperation and loveable ditziness. She also gets to belt out that most well-known of 70’s anthems, “I Will Survive.” As Jackie’s twins Ben and Lisa, Robin Clayton is a marvel of comic timing, often changing from one twin to another in a matter of seconds. In one of the best and funniest scenes in the show, the twins perform a trio of “When Will I Be Loved” with their mother and Clayton’s performance as two thirds of the trio drew extended applause from the audience.

Thomas Schnaible, one of DFW’s finest young actors, is Chad Rubik. Chad, on board as a caterer with his best friend Scott played by Jacob Bishop, fancies himself as quite the ladies’ man, but he’s still reeling from being left at the altar by his journalist fiancé Marianne, played by Krystal Rodriguez, who is on board doing an article. Schnaible and Rodriguez are a perfect pairing here and can Rodriguez ever sing the heck out of this pop score. I wanted to stop the show for thirty minutes or so and have a mini Krystal Rodriguez concert. I would have listened even if she wanted to sing that godawful “Feelings” song again.

Ken O’Reilly is the literally the “Wo”begone disaster expert Ted Scheider. O’Reilly adds to the hilarity of the adventurous academic with his serious, almost deadpan, delivery and has an unforgettable scene rescuing Jackie and the twins to “Nadia’s Theme.”

Shirley and Maury, played by Kristal Seid and Josh Hepola, are aboard the Barracuda celebrating Maury’s retirement. They are wonderful as the longtime married couple. Hepola’s avuncular Maury lets us know he’s still frisky for Shirley after all these years with “Still the One.” But the dying from a strange disease Shirley is the plum role here and Seid runs with it, twitching her eye and spouting uproarious obscenities. And her life saving tapdancing of morse code is a comic highlight of the show.

I am still convinced that Andi Allen is somehow the love child of Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett, and she reinforced that belief again as Sister Mary Downy, the nun who “Never Can Say Goodbye” to her gambling addiction. Whether humping a slot machine or telling other passengers that they are going to burn in hell, Allen never misses a laugh.

Levora Verona, the short on cash but long on attitude, washed up disco diva is portrayed by the always amazing Noelle Saul. Saul’s Levora, toting her pooch Baby, still looks glamorous and her “Knock On Wood” literally brings down the house.

The ensemble cast in Disaster! is in reality a large group of featured players who sing, dance, and act all over the Barracuda. They include Bridgette McFall, Kyleen Milton, Dahlia Parks, who is hysterical as the blind chef, Joseph Baker, Jed Davis, and a special shout out to Sam Sirena Morales and Cam Hayes whose “Rodent Pas de Deux” is one of the biggest surprises of a surprise filled evening.

Even If you have seen Disaster! as many times as I have, you are going to have great fun at Theatre Frisco’s production. There’s so much I couldn’t reveal here, but, trust me, you will want to go down with this ship.

Photos by Alex Rain