Review: THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL at Castle Craig Players

On Saturday, August 1st, I had the pleasure of seeing the hilarious production called THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL, as performed by the Castle Craig Players at the Almira F. Stephan Memorial Playhouse in Meriden, CT. Director Bobby Shultz, assistant director Melanie Del Sole, music director Jill Brunelle, and choreographer Amelia Nemeth help bring out the best in this first-rate cast. It is clear that the entire cast enjoys playing these over-the-top roles. Performers Marlene Scerrato, Christine Voytko, Angelina Paulus, Alexis DiGiacomo, Matt Griffiths, Carleigh Schultz, and Brian Lybeck all get to showcase their extreme talent! They are the perfect cast for this show! Their strong stage presence and tight stage chemistry sell their situations and connections with each other. While these fictional characters may seem farcical from the perspective of those who come from loving families that are morally and financially sound, they represent the unfortunate reality of certain people who did not receive the same blessings that many of us often take for granted. These characters tend to bluntly say or sing whatever is on their minds, without holding back, which inevitably has become an admirable personality trait, especially in modern America where so many people keep their light hidden out of fear of offending someone. While I am not a fan of raunchy dialogue, lyrics, or movements, this show is also filled with plenty of genuine clean comedy that lands perfectly and keeps truly mature audiences laughing throughout, too!

The story is set in Armadillo Acres, a trailer park in Stark, Florida. My perception of the pervading culture of that area leads me to the following conclusions, even if some are not overtly stated in the show. The people have such low self-respect there, that they would likely eat instant grits. They would risk their eternal souls for a shiny fiddle made of gold. The biggest city they’ve ever been to is the Walmart. They have trouble with their electricity, yet have light-up toilet brushes. They probably ask their hunting dogs to sleep on the roof when it rains, to patch up the holes. Many of their family trees go straight down. To their credit, though, I didn’t see anything misspelled in Christmas lights on this August day. The set depicts two trailers and the space between them.

Jeannie Garstecki (Carleigh Schultz) is afraid to leave her trailer, traumatized after her baby had been kidnapped. Her agoraphobia places a large strain on her marriage to Norbert Garstecki (Matt Griffiths) who is a toll collector. He seems to have forgotten that “for better or worse, in sickness and in health,” includes if his wife gets an intense anxiety disorder, even one that prevents intimacy. Norbert, feeling a total lack of emotional and physical connection with his wife, foolishly gives in to temptation with Pippi (Alexis DiGiacomo) who is a stripper on the run, hoping that hiding out in the trailer park will protect her from her psychotic ex-boyfriend. While Pippi desires true affection, she seeks it in the wrong places, like with Norbert. It is sad that anyone could ever possibly be so emotionally, morally, and logically lost as to think that an affair with a married person is a pathway to true love, or that any man who would cheat on his wife would constitute a “good” guy who could be trusted to stay with his mistress if the going gets tough with her. When Norbert still shows concern for Jeannie, the mistress entitlement displayed by Pippi only emphasizes her selfish mindset. With her powerful singing voice and talent at portraying believable emotion, Alexis DiGiacomo excels in this challenging and daring role.

The audience is meant to feel empathy for Pippi. While we should feel sorry for someone who has been hurt so badly that she would resort to stripping, or an affair with a married man, we have to avoid toxic empathy, the warped mindset that attempts to morally justify something like adultery, which is always objectively wrong, regardless of circumstances. Still, it is also important to realize that not everyone sees truth with clarity. Manipulative propaganda and poor upbringings can twist and warp the minds of those whose lives lack  positive role models who are grounded in absolute truth. Harsh judgment from those who know right from wrong can often be misperceived as personal rejection, hatred, or bigotry, in the fragile minds of those who have embraced emotionally-charged lies. Viewing the deceived person with love, without supporting the lies, is the proper approach. True love wills the best for those who are being loved, and therefore never affirms self-destructive attitudes or behaviors, no matter how desperately the person who is drowning in them yearns for validation and approval to continue down that dark path to destruction.

Duke (Brian Lybeck ) is Pippi’s marker-sniffing ex-boyfriend. While he is crazy, he is also a comedically bumbling buffoon causing slap-stick chaos wherever he goes, a truly fun character to watch as Brian Lybeck brings this character to life! After sniffing markers, he claims he likes the colors. He is either referring to the colors of the markers themselves, or the psychedelic visions he has after sniffing them. The audience finds out later in the story why he was named Duke, and it has nothing to do with those good ol’ boys from Hazzard County, Georgia.

Betty (Marlene Scerrato), Lin (Christine Voytko), and Pickles (Angelina Paulus) are characters who double as singing narrators, and triple in additional roles that they play with optimal brilliance! They have amazing harmony, strong individual singing voices, excellent synchronized dancing skills, and sharp acting sense, knowing how to deliver their lines in just such a manner to generate the maximum shock value and comedic impact! Of all the characters in the show Pickles was my favorite. I felt that she has the funniest lines, coupled with the spot-on deliveries from Angelina Paulus.

Book is by Betsy Kelso with music and lyrics by David Nels. The talented live orchestra is hidden behind the stage. Conducted by keyboard player Jill Brunelle, the orchestra also features Shane Williams on guitar, Abby Haight on bass, and Elijah Spikes on percussion.

Does Jeannie get the courage to leave the trailer?  Do Norbert and Jeannie get back together? Does Norbert end up with Pippi? Do Jeannie and Pippi battle it out inside the squared circle, in a good clean fight? Do Jeannie and Pippi both realize that Norbert is a jerk and kick him to the curb? Is there a custody battle over a hunting dog? Does Betty get to host her own outrageous talk show? Does Lin’s husband, who is on death row, get fried? Does Pickles who suffers from hysterical pregnancy (a real condition in which a woman who is not pregnant has so convinced herself that she is pregnant that her body actually starts showing physical signs of pregnancy, even though no baby is present) end up delivering something more than just hilarious lines? How did Duke get his name? Does he need to show his belt buckle as I.D. at Costco? Will Duke end up back together with Pippi? Will Pippi press on like nails, alone. Does Duke fry and grill roadkill and serve it with corn on the cob? Does anyone have an Elvis sighting? Come to the show and find out!

For adult audiences only, due to some course language, raunchiness, and dysfunctional adult situations, I highly recommend THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL, which is scheduled to continue to run through August 16, 2026. While it appears that future productions have already been sold out, you can be added to the standby list at  Red Neck Standing By.

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