Cast entertains all ages with creative twist of reality
Campus Times
September 24, 1999
Jamaican actor/singer Roy Miller interprets a tropical song while
actresses Jessica Kane, Karlee Hernandez, Laura Hernandez and Linda Treydte
portray the "Dancing Bananas" in the Brickhouse Theatre Company's
second annual fundraiser. The Brickhouse seeks to bring Inland Empire communities
together. Those interested in participating can contact Janine Letherer
at (909) 481-4404.
A smorgasbord of movie characters and entertainers were rejuvenated
on stage at "The Variety Show Deux," directed by Jennifer Cantwell
and Bob Show, presented by the Brickhouse Theatre Company last weekend.
The comedy-motivated play provided good clean fun, although the show
would have been hilarious with a sprinkling of nuttiness.
What better way to start the play than have Dr. Med "Evil"
battle it out with Dark Hole in the prologue. They pranced around with their
light sabers then broke out into disco frenzy. The whole opening was a sure
attention-getter, for what better way to captivate the audience than to
bring together two popular characters?
With the audience in full concentration, the set was unveiled to reveal
a live band and a talk show setting. The whole concept of the play was to
make it simulate a talk show that was hosting a talent competition. The
host was Jerry Clueless, modeled to create an annoying combination of Jerry
Springer and Jerry Lewis.
Clueless introduced the audience to the dysfunctional panel of judges:
an anal Judge Judy, Chewbacca and the obnoxious Waterboy portrayed by Adam
Sandler, who were there to judge the acts by giving them points -- 10 being
the highest and one being the lowest. The act with the most points at the
end would win the competition.
Each group of performers was given the opportunity to entertain the
panel and the audience to score points, but it also faced the potential
of being "gong'ed out" by the judges if its performance did not
please them.
The first act featured a "clean" version of the song, "Party
like it's 1999" modeled after the song by the Artist Formerly Known
as Prince. Then a lament about the pains of aging followed with five flavors
of "spice" singing "Wannabe," while five actresses portrayed
themselves as the Old Spice Girls.
The show represented the entire food chain, everything from dancing
bananas to vegetables, to mystery men decked out as chickens, to the singing
of Sandler's "Lunch Lady Land" song.
There was also an attempt by the three judges to pollute the show as
each took turns to somehow be represented. The Waterboy attempted to pass
as a contestant and sang the "Lunch Lady Land" song. Judge Judy
had a team of dancing Judge Judys. Even Clueless and Chewbacca had a chance
to display their talent with a dance number.
The show was well organized except for the number with the pirates who
performed the song "We don't do anything." It was too long and
repetitive and the fact they just sat around looking bored did not help.
But, overall the show did a good job of representing various aspects of
life.
Since the Brickhouse Theatre Company was created to provide artists
the opportunity to display their talents in a safe environment, and is influenced
by the New Life Church, it provided clean and amusing family entertainment,
which ensured that their shows can be attended by children.
However, the writers were a bit too paranoid as to the definition of
family entertainment. Through changing the lyrics of some of the songs and
making "clean" jokes the show lost some of its overall charm.
