Review: THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL at the Broad Brook Opera House

Musicals have an amazing way of transporting an audience to exciting, sometimes magical places. You might find yourself in the middle of a romantic kingdom, on the rooftops of turn-of-the-century London, or in the catacombs of a French opera house. But when the lights come up on the latest show at the Broad Brook Opera House, audiences find they have been transported to a place that is, well, a little less magical - the Armadillo Acres Trailer Park in Starke, Florida.

But don't be fooled by this less-than-perfect locale - The residents of this trailer park have their own drama, intrigue, and complex relationships that could compete with any phantom or flying nanny - they just do it with big hair, spray cheese, press-on nails, and almost every southern stereotype you can fit on the stage.

In THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL by Betsy Kelso and David Nehls, the Opera House players do an amazing job creating a convincing, motley crew of characters. And as someone who spent most of his life in the great state of Georgia, it was refreshing to recognize some of those people on stage, but to also see these characters not just as something to laugh at (though the audience did get their share of laughter), but real people you find yourself caring about by the end of the show.

So, what makes Opera House Players' THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL so great? First, and foremost, it's the people. From the agoraphobic housewife Jeanie (Christa Douyard) and her toll-collector husband Norbert (Jeff Clayton), to stripper on the run, Pippi (Jami Wilson) and her marker-sniffing ex, Duke (Tomm Knightlee) these characters are brought to life by a talented cast willing to have fun with these over-the-top roles and do some silly (but hilarious) things on stage. Ms. Douyard, in particular, stands out with a powerhouse voice which surprises and delights coming from such a shy, neurotic character. Speaking of powerhouse voices, the southern-fried greek chorus of Betty (Christine St. Amant Greene), Lin (Kait Rankins), and Pickles (Lyndsay Hart) constantly steal the show with their brassy group numbers, hilarious costumes (you will never look at a toilet brush the same), and fun choreography. They left me with a permanent grin and wanting to come back and see the show again just to pick up on all the hilarious asides of these three. Ms. Hart, in particular had me rolling with her facial expressions and her hysterical pregnancy, which was, in a word, hysterical.

I can only imagine that Meghan Lynn Allen, who directed the production had a hard time keeping a straight face (and keeping the cast focused!) with such funny material to work with. Her direction and staging worked perfectly for the small Broad Brook stage. The music, as directed by Timothy Chavez was well balanced and executed, and the choreography by Karen Anne McMahon was just the right mix of dance and camp. Moonyean Field's costumes were brilliant and the lights (Diane St. Amand) and sound (Bill Baronas) added the right ambience. Finally, the set, as designed by Greg Trochlil was really great. Using the front of the stage as a non-functional swimming pool was inspired, and the trailers themselves were exactly what you might find in this forgotten neck of the woods.

So, if you are looking for a fun night of theatre, with a bunch of quirky, but hilarious characters, you might just want to take a road trip to Starke, Florida and pay a visit to Armadillo Acres. But a small warning, as you might expect, a group like this doesn't hold back when telling you how it is in their corner of the world, and they certainly use the most colorful language, so keep that in mind when considering who to bring along.

All in all, THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL is a hilarious night of theatre and the Opera House Players do a fantastic job bringing it to life. But if you plan to make the drive south, make sure you come prepared to laugh, because on this side of the tracks, that's exactly what you will be doing.

Photo Credits: Emma Connell

Opera House Players, Inc. is currently presenting THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL through September 25 (Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 2pm) at the Broad Brook Opera House, 107 Main Street, Broad Brook, CT. Tickets are available by calling the box office at 860-292-6068 or online at www.operahouseplayers.org. Adults: $21, Over 60/Under 12: $17. Group discounts available (minimum of 15).

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