Betsy Kelso

The Great American Trailer Park Musical written by David Nehls and Betsy Kelso is a two-act musical exploring relationships between the tenants of Armadillo Acres Trailer Park in Starke, Florida. Its main focus is between Pippi a “stripper on the run,” Jeannie an Agoraphobic, and Norbert, Jeannie’s toll booth collector husband. First performed in 2004 at the first annual New York Music Theatre Festival, and then on off-Broadway in 2005. Opening at Bows at Dodger Stages in November of 2005, with Betsy Kelso directing. The show played 121 performances and closed in December of 2005. The first regional premiere in the U.S. was performed in June of 2006 at the Hippodrome in Gainesville, Florida. The first National Tour began in Spokane, Washington in January of 2008.

Buck Creek Players and Director Ben Jones and Musical Director Jill Stewart have announced their upcoming production of THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL with Book by Betsy Kelso and Music & Lyrics by David Nehls.

Nu Sass Productions will concludes its 2023 season with The OREO Complex written, directed, and performed by Lillian Brown, in repertory with Nu Sass's Finding Neil Patrick Harris by Donna Hoke and Open by Crystal Skillman, and Mr. & Mrs. Fitch a collaboration between Nu Sass and Landless Theatre Company. All three shows will be performed between April 14 and June 9, 2023.

The Millbrook Playhouse production of The Great American Trailer Park Musical, music and lyrics by David Nehls with a book by Betsy Kelso, will run on the Ryan Main Stage from October 14 through the 22, 2022. 

Rochester Opera House will present The Great American Trailer Park Musical, directed by Patrick Dorow. This raunchy, all-American musical will be filmed in front of a live audience at Rochester Opera House on Opening Night, Friday, September 16th at 7:30pm.

West Bay Community Theater will hold auditions for its May, 2022 production of The Great American Trailer Park Musical on Monday, January 24th (7-9pm) and Saturday, January 29th (Noon-3pm).

It is rare for audiences to have the chance to come back and revisit characters in a musical – and when producers do decide to go the sequel route, they often end up critically panned - take ANNIE WARBUCKS or LOVE NEVER DIES, for example. But when a show already doesn’t take itself too seriously, such as Betsy Kelso and David Nehls’ THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL, a follow-up can be just as much of a rollicking good time as the first. Make that sequel a Christmas show and that can be a recipe for a hilarious, entertaining, and yes, heartwarming night of theatre. That is just the case for Titusville Playhouse’s latest production on its Shuler Stage – THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK CHRISTMAS MUSICAL. So, pull up your lawn chair, grab some tinsel and keg nog, and see how the denizens of Armadillo Acres - Starke, Florida’s “most festive trailer park” - deal with the stresses and joys of the holiday season.

It’s always exciting to get to be the first to experience something. From the first person in line to buy the newest iPhone, to the first guests to board a new theme park ride, there is a special thrill in being there when something great begins. That was my experience last night at the very first performance in Titusville Playhouse’s new venue, the Shuler Stage. It was especially exciting that the first show in that space also happened to be a favorite of mine, one guaranteed to bring hearty laughs and a huge smile – THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL. And if the rest of the performances that will follow in this new space are anything like what came to life under the Shuler tent last night for the first time – then Titusville theatregoers have quite a thrilling adventure ahead of them.

The story has, at its center, a love triangle between an agoraphobic, a highway toll collector and an exotic dancer with an unhinged ex-boyfriend. A Greek-chorus-eque trio of trailer park women helps guide the narrative, playing any character or gender they choose while breaking the fourth wall at whim to air their own dirty laundry.

The Desert Rose Playhouse production of THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL is currently running in the company's new location in Palm Springs. The show features fabulous performances and design, and terrific direction by Robbie Wayne. Combined with David Nehls' clever lyrics and tuneful music (reminiscent of GREASE), audiences are sure to have a good time.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) hosts weekly Community Gatherings every Friday at 4:30pm via Zoom, to explore the creation of art and theater in the time of COVID-19.

This weekend (September 26-27) in live streaming: Fame reunites on Stars in the House, Irish Rep presents Belfast Blues, and so much more!

Stars in the House continues today (2pm) with Regional Theatre Spotlight On: STAGES - Houston, TX. Hosted by Kenn McLaughlin with guests David Nehls, Betsy Kelso, Josh Morrison, Holland Vavra and Brooke Wilson.

THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL is a rip-roaring, genuinely hilarious, and over the top good time for patrons of OKC's preeminent dinner theatre and drag club, THE BOOM!

THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL is a hilarious, poignant telling of life in Trailer Park, America. The residents of Armadillo Acres suffer from a host of ailments, the least of which is Agoraphobia. Rocking tunes and uproarious comedy make American trailer park living great again.

The Dio - Dining & Entertainment, Livingston County's professional, award winning dinner theatre, is excited to return to Armadillo Acres with The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical, music and lyrics by David Nehls, book by Betsy Kelso, directed by Steve DeBruyne with musical direction by Brian Rose and choreography by Kristin Renee Reeves.

For anyone that experienced last season's outrageous sell-out of TheatreWorks Florida's award-winning The Great American Trailer Park Musical, you already know that this holiday musical bash is about to "wreck-the-halls" with some "ho-ho-hos" and Keg Nog! Filled with some of Central FL's most talented actors, including returning cast members from the original Trailer Park production, you better buckle up for a wild sleigh ride to the other side of the tracks!

The TexARTS Professional Series wraps up the summer with The Great American Trailer Park Musical, a country-rock and blues musical about agoraphobia, '80s nostalgia, hysterical pregnancy, kleptomania, strippers, flan, and disco.

If you've ever wondered what the home life of the guests on Jerry Springer was like, you're in luck! THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL, written by David Nehls and Betsy Kelso, is an adult musical romp about the tenants of Armadillo Acres, Florida's most 'exclusive' trailer park. It was first performed at the very first annual New York Music Theater Festival in 2004 and made its Off-Broadway debut in 2005. When Pippi (Emily Villarreal), a stripper on the run, becomes the newest tenant, she comes between the agoraphobic Jeannie (Julie Foster) and Norbert (Jarret Mallon) her tollbooth collector husband. What ensues is a hilarious whirlwind tour of a world filled with adultery, strip clubs, flan, spray cheese, ex-boyfriends, permanent marker sniffing, storms, press-on nails and the Ice Capades. There's no deep message here, but there are plenty of laughs, winning performances and great singing voices.If you've ever wondered what the home life of the guests on Jerry Springer was like, you're in luck! THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL, written by David Nehls and Betsy Kelso, is an adult musical romp about the tenants of Armadillo Acres, Florida's most 'exclusive' trailer park. It was first performed at the very first annual New York Music Theater Festival in 2004 and made its Off-Broadway debut in 2005. When Pippi (Emily Villarreal), a stripper on the run, becomes the newest tenant, she comes between the agoraphobic Jeannie (Julie Foster) and Norbert (Jarret Mallon) her tollbooth collector husband. What ensues is a hilarious whirlwind tour of a world filled with adultery, strip clubs, flan, spray cheese, ex-boyfriends, permanent marker sniffing, storms, press-on nails and the Ice Capades. There's no deep message here, but there are plenty of laughs, winning performances and great singing voices.