BWW Preview: MAKE ME A MUSICAL at PASA Spoofs Classic Musicals

Make Me a Musical, which has its US premiere at PASA on Friday, is loosely based on the Faust story and is set in the context of a "backstage musical" which embraces many of the clichés of the genre - and turns them on their head. It could almost be described as a something of a parody musical, with some elements of pastiche and with its tongue firmly in its cheek. There are some high kicking chorus numbers, but the score also includes some tender ballads and some funky, jazz numbers that reflect the story's New York setting.

The story revolves around the rehearsals of a new Broadway show called "Success!" It begins with the auditions for the show - and if anyone is reminded of the opening scenes of "West Side Story" and "A Chorus Line", this is entirely calculated. These are just two of the classic musicals at which show takes an affectionate dig.

Robert Ponsonby (played by Ramsey Marion Sweatmon), the show's rehearsal pianist, dreams of being a song-writer, but feels he will never make it because he lacks "street cred", being a white Anglo Saxon male with no minority status and no suffering to speak of. He wishes he was either gay, black or foreign. "I've tried being gay," he says, "but I can't seem to get the hang of it."

During rehearsals, he becomes friendly with one of the chorus girls, Angela Goodall (played by Lauren Campion, who played Mina in the PASA production of Nosferatu). He is thrilled when she enthuses about some songs he has written, and they begin to fall in love.

Robert is approached by Cedric E. de Ville (played by Jef Maldinado), a powerful New York agent. De Ville offers to be Robert's agent and manager and promises to make him the most successful song writer in America - provided Robert agrees to do everything De Ville asks him to. "What you need is a formula, kid, and I can give it to you. With the right type of hype you can do very well."

Robert succumbs to the blandishments of De Ville, while Angela becomes increasingly dismayed by this turn of events. She is even more dismayed by the changes she begins to see in Robert himself, as he turns from the innocent and unassuming (albeit rather naive) person she first knew into an egocentric monster.

This personality change is engineered by De Ville in scenes that are the flip side of Eliza Doolittle being changed from a flower girl into a lady by Professor Higgins in "My Fair Lady."

De Ville engineers a plot to remove Robert from the influence of Angela and send him into the arms of Stella Hudson (played by Twyla Lamont, fresh from her triumph in PASA's production of Ruthless), who is completely under de Ville's control. Robert is left with the impression that Angela has been cheating on him and becomes easy prey to the machinations of the evil duo.

Will Robert discover the truth? Will he and Angela be re-united? Will he return to writing the kind of music that Angela had so admired? You'll need to see the show to find out, but no prizes for guessing the answer.

The show also features Robby Vance as Miguel, an auditioner who quickly changes personality when he finds his downtrodden character isn't what the director wants; Larry Grote, making his return to the stage as the director of the show within a show; Michael Cooling as Gloria Glitter, singing what has been billed as "the ultimate drag song"; Gary Sartor as a fading stage star with a wandering eye; Gianna Rodriguez as Juanita Fitzgerald, and others. The show is directed by Vaughn Taylor and Jade Esteban Estrada.

You can see an introduction to the show on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSok2Nno0Ck.

Seat are available at Brown Paper Tickets (http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2501991) or call the theatre on (210) 557 187.

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