Review: THE TOXIC AVENGER at Town Players Of New Canaan

“The Toxic Avenger,” the 2008 riotously zany rock musical, is based on Lloyd Kaufman’s 1985 horror comedy cult film. Joe DiPietro (“I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” “All Shook Up,” "Memphis") wrote the witty book and David Bryan (founding member of the rock group Bon Jovi)  wrote the score. They co-wrote the killer lyrics.

The show is a comic satire with an irreverent, kooky edge, similar in style to “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Urinetown” and “Zombie Prom”. The opening number describes the play’s setting as “a place between heaven and hell”: New Jersey. In the fictional town of Tromaville, a mild-mannered nerd, Melvin Ferd the third is an aspiring earth scientist. He is resolute to clean up his hometown, which through political corruption has become a dumping ground for toxic waste.

Tromaville’s corrupt mayor, Babs Belgoody, wanting to stop Melvin from exposing her evil dealings, sends two of her goons to rough him up. They oblige and also dump him into a vat of toxic waste. He emerges from the goo as a hideously deformed Hulk with superhuman strength. As the Toxic Avenger, he embarks on a heroic, vigilante-style crusade to save his hometown from greedy polluters. No limbs or entrails are spared by the enraged but well-meaning Toxie!

Melvin also falls hard for Sarah, the town’s beautiful and ditsy blind librarian, and he sets out to win her heart. He figures Sarah's blindness is a plus because she won’t be scared off by his grotesque facial features.

Will Melvin save New Jersey? Will Sarah return his affections? Will the tune “The Tale of The Toxic Avenger” become a folk classic? All this is revealed in the hilarious two-hour romp at The Powerhouse Theatre.

Stephen Emerick superbly directs and keeps the play moving at a brisk pace, with interesting, energetic staging, and succeeds in eliciting the absolute best out of his brilliant cast.
The show stars a cast of only five. And all five possess powerhouse voices. Chris Balestriere is an unstoppable comic force as Melvin, Kelley Alejos is terrific as the loopy, klutzy Sarah and Lauren Gulliver Travers alternates between the evil mayor and Melvin’s mother with flawless comic timing.
The remaining throng of outrageous characters with an endless array of dialects and split-second costume changes are flawlessly played by Markiss Robert and Anthony Lazlo

Joel Reynolds’ terrific set is the town’s dumping ground complete with contaminated oil drums. It cleverly re-creates New Jersey’s polluted shoreline. As does the toxic glow of Sophie Bardos’ inspired lighting. The sound design by Mike DeSantis was well-balanced and expertly mixed. The special effects and prosthetics are remarkable as well as the many zany props by Megan Lima-Bona and Deborah Burke.  The goofy dance routines were realized by Jennifer Silverman. A shout-out to the fight choreography utilized during the many confrontations between Melvin and his assorted attackers. Costumes were impressive, hilarious, and plentiful thanks to Deborah Burke and Markiss Robert.
Stage Manager Nikki Lyn Neurohr kept her ubiquitous crew moving efficiently which resulted in a well realized production.

Set above the stage, the outstanding band led by Maestro Zackary Kempler, rocked a score that’s epic in its range.

"The Toxic Avenger” is great fun with lots of sight gags, great singing, hilarious dialogue, campy characters, and a cautionary environmental message to boot... What more can you possibly ask for? See it!

Performances run through October 28th  at the Powerhouse Theatre in Waveny Park, New Canaan, CT 06840

For tickets and more information visit TPNC.org. 
For Box Office email tickets@tpnc.org, or phone 203-594-3636. 

Please note that due to the production’s mature themes, attendance is not recommended for young people under age 16.