Gorilla Tango's SPANDEX NINJA Show Gets A Legal Makeover, 6/8

Known for ribald parodies of nerd-friendly pop-culture topics, it's no surprise that Gorilla Tango Burlesque (GTB) eventually caught the attention of one of the "big guys" they've been sending up. The Performance Formerly Known As "Go Go Power Rangers: A Mighty Morphin Burlesque" – opening tonight, Friday, June 8, 2012 at 11:59pm, and performing thru July – will undergo a slight makeover!

"We expected that we'd run in to some questions of copyright vs. parody at some point," says owner/executive director Dan Abbate, "so when Saban contacted us on Wednesday (June 6 - two days before opening) to talk about our Power Rangers parody we were happy to meet them in the middle." Saban's requests turned out to be relatively tame, with the primary concerns being the show's title and the character's names.

"My only regret," says artistic director MsPixy, "is that I did not come up with better options for the title on short notice." Apparently due to some snap decisions and fast-paced back-and-forth negotiations, the show is now titled HOOTER RANGERS: A SPICY MORPHING BURLESQUE.

"Yeah," adds MsPixy, "we had many better ideas after the fact-- but by the time we came up with the really good stuff, we were already stuck with 'Hooter Rangers.' (she laughs) On the other hand, the total absurdity and "Engrish" feel of the new title does fit well in to the "details lost in translation" vibe of the original show. And, hey, wouldn't you at least click a link to find out what the hell 'Spicy Morphing' is supposed to mean?" What it means is a good-time romp through the recently renamed "Heaven Hills," where an evil witch with pointy bosoms inflicts a giant space-monster (ironically already named "Cens-a-sourous") on a bunch of ninjas in spandex.

When fans pointed out that the show was probably protected as-is by parody laws, MsPixy had this to say, "Look-- we're not here to nitpick over the details. Saban has as much right to keep tabs on their intellectual property as we have to send it up. Sure, we could probably win a legal challenge if we wanted to put in the time and money, but since the comedy in our show isn't tied to the use of the copyrighted names, why waste the resources and effort? The appeal of our shows comes from the characterizations, relationships, situations, and striptease setups-- calling a character by a different name doesn't change that--and does give us more opportunity for 'bits!'"

"When the owner of a piece of intellectual property approaches us," adds Abbate, "we'd much rather enter in to a friendly discussion than pick a fight. They could have just jumped in with a 'cease and desist' and let us work out the fine points in an expensive courtroom battle, but they approached us to discuss the matter and we're more than happy to make a few tweaks, especially as they've been nothing but polite and professional with their requests."

Regarding the major plot points of the performance very little has changed, as Saban's original show never featured a plot-line in which over-18-rangers defend their hometown from a "sex and violence" spell from space. But never fear! Just as GTB can roll with the punches and come out on top, The (very grown-up) "Hooter Rangers" can handle anything "Vera Vile" and her sidekick "Bronze-dar" can throw their way.

Want to see what all the fuss is about? HOOTER RANGERS: A SPICY MORPHING BURLESQUE performs Fridays at 11:59pm, June 8 – July 27, 2012 (Note: no show 6/22/12) at Gorilla Tango Bucktown (1919 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago IL 60647). Tickets are $20; www.gorillatango.com or 773-598-4549 for tickets and more info. 18 and over only.

MORE ABOUT GORILLA TANGO BURLESQUE
Over the past year and a half, Gorilla Tango Burlesque has gone from the debut of the surprise hit "Boobs & Goombas: A Super Mario Burlesque" to a local burlesque/comedy powerhouse with literally thousands of audience members through the door to see unique burlesque parodies of everything from Star Wars ("A Nude Hope: A Star Wars Burlesque") to Indiana Jones ("Temple of Boobs: An Indiana Jones Burlesque") to fantasy films and RPGs ("Fellowship of the Boobs: an LOTR, WoW, D&D, RPG Burlesque" performing Fridays at 9pm) -- and that's just a small selection of what they have available for-- as their slogan states-- "the Discerning Nerd." GTB's newest parody burlesque poking fun at The Power Rangers debuts tonight, June 8 at 11:59pm!

For more information, photos and the like, please contact Kelly Williams, kelly@gorillatango.com or 773-598-4549.

Gorilla Tango Theatre (GTT) provides year-round theatrical venues where audiences of all ages can consistently go to see a wide variety of talented artists. GTT exists to provide artists with an opportunity to produce their work in professional environment. GTT was created by Dan Abbate and boasts two venues: an 80-seat performance space in Bucktown and a 150-seat performance space in Skokie. GTT Bucktown is conveniently located at the intersection of Western and Milwaukee in Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood. Easily accessible by public transportation, GTT is steps away from the Western Blue Line stop and the #49 Western, #73 Armitage and #56 Milwaukee buses. Street parking is readily available. Gorilla Tango's Skokie Theatre is located in the heart of Downtown Skokie; street and lot parking available. With shows for all ages, all GTT performances are on a rating system, similar to the one used in movie theatres. GTT offers a variety of affordable beer and wine for purchase. Consult the website for show details, rating information, tickets, and more.

Test and expand your Broadway knowledge with our new game - The Broadway Match-Up! How well do you know your Broadway casting trivia?	Play the Daily Game, explore current shows, and delve into past decades like the 2000s, 80s, and the Golden Age. Challenge your friends and see where you rank!
How well do you know your Tony Awards history? Take our never-ending quiz of nominations and winner history and challenge your friends.	Can you beat your friends? Play today’s daily Broadway word game, featuring a new theatrically inspired word or phrase every day!