BWW Previews: Crazy-Fun BUBBLE BOY is Fit to Burst at BOMBSHELL THEATRE CO.

Ready for a bubbly good time guaranteed to leave you bursting? Then get in line for Bubble Boy the Musical, the sophomore production from Bombshell Theatre Co. The show runs April 1-10th at Inspiration Studios in West Allis.

Based on the hilarious 2001 spoof film of the same name, Bubble Boy follows the story of Jimmy Livingston, a boy born without immunities that has spent his entire life confined inside a plastic bubble room.

Enter Chloe, the girl next door, who becomes his friend and steals his heart. When she leaves town to get married, Jimmy travels cross-country in a homemade bubble suit in order to stop the wedding and finally tell her how he feels. Along the laugh-filled journey he deals with a crazy cult, a biker gang, and a controlling mother who will stop at nothing to get him back in the bubble.

I spoke with Tim Albrechtson, Bombshell's Producing Director, about their upcoming production of Bubble Boy. He shared everything from why this musical is such a great fit for Bombshell Theatre Co. to the little things he hopes audiences notice and take away from this hilarious show:

What's the elevator pitch for Bubble Boy the Musical?
Bubble Boy the Musical is exactly as crazy, silly, and funny as it sounds! The show follows the adventure of Jimmy, an immune-deficient boy in the plastic bubble, on his cross-country adventure to win the girl of his dreams. Along his journey he runs into bikers, a cult, and a cow, all while being chased down by his insanely over-protective mother. The music is absolutely amazing, and if it gives you any idea of the musical's vibe, the same creators are behind Schmigadoon & Despicable Me. This is a somewhat more adult spoof (we unofficially rate it PG-13), of the depressing original movie in the 70's.

What makes Bubble Boy the Musical such a great fit for Bombshell Theatre Co.?
Bubble Boy attracted us for a number of reasons! First off, it follows our mission of rarely told stories, from our quick search we have not seen any versions of it produced here in Wisconsin before. Second, the music is so catchy and fun, it only took me 30 seconds of the first song to fall in love with it. Third, it is HILARIOUS, it is really just absolutely ridiculous in the best way possible! We want our production choices to be versatile and offer entertainment for every type of theatre-goer.

I know hair and makeup are a pillar of Bombshell-can you tell me how this plays into Bubble Boy the Musical?
Wigs & Makeup are always a highly prioritized detail for our productions! Bubble Boy definitely gave us a new genre of hair & makeup to play with in comparison to our last production of Funny Girl! When we were thinking through their 2000's-esque looks in Bubble Boy, the first thing we demanded was the tacky but amazing butterfly clips for our lead Character, Chloe. You will also find several wig changes among the other actors as they race around switching characters!

What do you hope audiences take away from this production?
We hope the audience leaves with their sides bursting from laughter! Underneath the silly songs and ridiculous situations, the real message is to pursue your dreams regardless of your setbacks, even if you could fail. I think Jimmy's bubble could really be a metaphor about anybody's setback; and that's not me reaching, they actually have a song about that!

What's something the audience should look for or pay attention to in this production that may not be obvious at a glance?
With the cast only being 10 actors, many of them are playing multiple characters. It's so fun to see the switching back and forth. But, with this being a comedic musical, there are so many funny bits happening behind the main action. Some of it is rather quick and will only be caught if you're looking out for it. So, keep an eye on all the actors in the "background".

Any fun facts or tales from behind the scenes?
This cast has been a blast to work with so far! They have the perfect energy to match the craziness of a musical about a boy in a plastic bubble. It has been a lot of fun creating these zany characters together and how each of them is so different. This cast has been making me laugh, and even cry, at every rehearsal. Couldn't have asked for a better group.

Who would you say this show is perfect for?
This show is perfect for those people who may not love musical theatre. Since Bubble Boy is based on the 2001 film, it keeps all that campy, silliness but adds hilarious music. Of course, musical theatre lovers will love the show as well. I think we're just so excited to be sharing this musical to the Milwaukee audiences as it rarely ever gets done.

Learn more and snag your tickets at bombshelltheatre.org.