Review: THE TOXIC AVENGER: THE MUSICAL at Doctuh Mistuh Productions

The Toxic Avenger doesn’t just step onto the stage, it stomps in dripping with radioactive swagger. Born from the 1984 cult film that reveled in bad taste and B-movie bravado, the stage version emerged in 2008 with Joe DiPietro’s book and lyrics and David Bryan’s rock-fueled score. After its debut at the George Street Playhouse in New Jersey, it barreled Off-Broadway to New World Stages in 2009, where its campy humor, clever lyrics, and delightfully self-aware script found a devoted audience.

The plot is pure comic-book chaos. Melvin Ferd the Third (Joey Banks), a well-meaning nerd, is tossed into a vat of toxic waste and emerges as New Jersey’s most unlikely hero. He falls for Sarah (Madi Sipe), a blind librarian whose romantic optimism conveniently overlooks his new swamp-creature look. What follows is a fever dream of environmental satire, slapstick romance, and a five-person cast hurtling between characters at breakneck speed.

What makes the show work is its fearless embrace of lunacy. Bryan’s music careens from arena rock to tender ballad without ever losing its reckless spirit. Every number leans into the absurd, from love songs with impossible rhymes to political anthems about saving the Garden State. Beneath the outrageous gags, the story nods to something bigger: corruption and pollution in New Jersey, problems the show gleefully mocks but never pretends are resolved. That wink at reality is part of what makes the absurdity hit even harder.

The humor is loud, brash, and gloriously unfiltered. The plot serves more as a playground than a roadmap, creating space for outrageous performances to run wild. Yet beneath the slime, there is a surprisingly sweet underdog story about finding strength in what makes us different.

Joey Banks anchors the madness with powerhouse vocals and unexpected heart. Madi Sipe is pure comedic gold, her wide-eyed optimism and razor-sharp timing turning every scene into a win. Leslie Hollingsworth dazzles as the Mayor, a nun, and Toxi’s mother, shifting roles with style and precision. Paul Sanchez and Will Thompson are the night’s chameleons, hurtling through an avalanche of sidekick parts. Their entrances are a constant highlight, their quick changes intentionally chaotic, pulling the audience into the joke.

Joe Carpenter’s set is simple yet perfectly suited to the story, keeping the stage free for the mayhem to explode. Glenda Wolfe’s costumes match the madness, each piece as outrageous as the characters wearing them. And the onstage band is another reason the show hits so hard. The sound is loud, magnificent, and the perfect partner to Bryan’s unapologetically in-your-face score.

The Toxic Avenger works best when it does not try to clean itself up. It is chaotic, brazen, and fully aware of its own absurdity. For audiences willing to embrace the noise and nonsense, it delivers a wickedly fun night at the theatre. For anyone seeking polished restraint, there is always another musical down the street. This one is proudly radioactive.

This is not a soul-searching show, but it never claims to be. It is the kind of musical that makes you laugh until you forget what you were worried about. The vocals soar, the physical comedy lands with precision, and the energy never dips. Its simplicity is part of its charm, even as it slyly reminds us that corruption and pollution in the Garden State (or even the old US of A) are still lingering, unsolved villains.

If you are up for pure entertainment, you have three more chances to catch what is likely to become a new cult classic among Doctuh Mistuh Productions fans: The Toxic Avenger.

Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes including intermission

The Toxic Avenger: The Musical

Book and Lyrics by Joe DiPietro

Music and Lyrics by David Bryan

Directed by Michael McKelvey

Music Direction by Ellie Jarret Shattles

Upcoming and final performances:

August 6th at 7:30PM

August 9th at 7:30PM

August 10th at 2:00PM

Doctuh Mistuh Productions

@ Austin Playhouse

405 West 22nd Street