From the Winston-Salem Journal (the picture at the right does not accompany the article):
Theatre Alliance has set itself apart. It has become the area leader in presenting shows with adult themes, be they serious or fun.
The latest example in the fun category comes courtesy of Susan Schwartz’s Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical, which opened last night in Dunn Auditorium at the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art.
The presentation, which originated at the 2001 New York Fringe Festival, is based on one of the most popular pornography films of all time.
But pornography is only suggested in the Winston-Salem production, directed by Jamie Lawson.
What really dominates is the kind of utter silliness that’s so bad you can’t help laughing out loud at it, like, all night long.
The plot, predictably, is thin, since it follows the storyline of the 1978 film.
It revolves around Debbie Benton (Heather Hamby), a high-school cheerleader, trying to finance the bus fare to Dallas, where she hopes to attain cheerleading heaven as a Texas Cowgirl.
Benton has just a couple of weeks to come up with the money.
Minimum-wage work won’t cut it – either for her or for her cheerleading girlfriends, who want to help her out.
The only thing that comes in the form of favors is offered through a company called Teen Services.
We’re treated to several singing and dancing young adults playing horny high-school football players and cheerleaders and to several dirty-minded men more than willing to take advantage of young girls.
The humor is bawdy. The singing and dancing benefits from energy, but lyrics and dialogue are sometimes obscured by amplified music. Girly mannerisms and expressions are played up relentlessly.
In effect, Debbie Does Dallas has become a sequel to The Rocky Horror Show, which Theatre Alliance presented several months ago.
For just a few dollars – all of which will be donated to area charities – you can buy a Debbie Does Dallas fantasy kit, which is a lunch bag of such goodies as a glow stick, pompoms and fake money.
Instructions on how to use the ingredients (and when to scream and grunt) are stapled to the bag.
The kits were a hit, making a fun show even more fun.
I also loved the seedy guys (actually mannequin representations of thesame) sitting scattered about the audience.
• Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical will run through Aug. 27 in Dunn Auditorium in the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art. Shows are at 8 tonight and next Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Sunday shows are at 2 p.m. Admission is $16, $14 for seniors and students. Reservations are suggested. No one under 18 will be admitted. Call 768-5655.
Frankly, I like Heather’s review better:
In my opinion, I have to say that the show is awesome. It is very funny and everyone is so great in their roles. Emily is amazing as Lisa and I love her singing God Must Love a Fool maybe even more than Mary Catherine (from the original cast). Teresa, Rebecca, and Cheryl Ann take their moments and run with them. That is to me, the primary reason that the show is so funny. Teresa particularly is a riot in her candle scene and with all her "Oh shit" moments. I still can’t bring myself to look directly at Rebecca during her banana scene. I’m worried I will totally lose it and not be able to finish the show, but judging from the reaction of the audience they loved that scene and I’m sure the site of the rest of us in banana costumes doesn’t hurt. Cheryl Ann delivers some of the funniest lines in the show with some real punch. I love the brief scene that we have after the Bang Bang cheer. It is so great to work with such an awesome actress. The guys get tons of kudos because they do a majority of the work by changing costumes every 3 seconds. I said it last night, but I will say it again that I think Ken Ashford is one of, if not, my favorite actor to work with. I’ve never seen anyone who was funnier onstage and to be able to share that stage with him is just a blessing. David is so very funny as Rick. I tend to take him for granted because I have work with him for so long, but he really is a great performer and his I Wanna Do Debbie solo is just perfect. Derrick may be the funniest person ever. He is really so great in every single one of his roles and he makes them all so incredibly different. I’m very glad to be doing a show where I get to work with a wonderful combination of old friends that I have been on stage with many a time and new friends who I otherwise would have never met.
Well said. I can’t think of a better cast or a funner group of people to work with. And Heather knows I love her, too. Her talents are obvious — but what really makes her special is the warmth she has both on and offstage. A good soul, a tremendous heart, and more charm than one person ought to have. Beauty isn’t only skin deep with Heather, and her effervescence not only makes the show successful, but makes being her castmate a pure joy.