TV: What Happens When GYPSY Meets Honey Boo Boo? Find Out Backstage with the Company of RUTHLESS!

It's time for another edition of BWW's exclusive talk show, BACKSTAGE WITH Richard Ridge. Follow Richard as he visits the theater's best and brightest in their dressing rooms, on their stages and at their favorite hang outs to talk about their lives, careers and all of the things you don't know, but want to know. In this special edition, Richard welcomes the current company of off-Broadway's RUTHLESS!, including creators Marvin Laird and Joel Paley; plus cast members Kim Maresca, Rita McKenzie, Andrea McCullough, Jennifer Diamond, Tori Murray and Amie Bermowitz. Find out how they keep audiences laughing nightly below!

RUTHLESS! opened July 13th. Book and lyrics for RUTHLESS! are by Joel Paley with music by Marvin Laird. Paley also directed the original production as well as productions in L.A., South Beach and the record-breaking concert event starring Bernadette Peters. He once again serves as director of the newest incarnation of RUTHLESS!, with Marvin Laird on board as music supervisor as well.

When THE BAD SEED meets GYPSY, it's fun for the whole dysfunctional family! Tina Denmark is a pretty, charming and diabolical eight-year-old who "was born to entertain." With the encouragement of slick and overbearing potential agent Sylvia St. Croix, Tina will do anything to play the lead in her school play. The question is, where does such remarkable talent and unstoppable ambition come from? The answer is shocking in this award-winning Stage Mother of all musicals.

RUTHLESS! first appeared Off-Broadway 23 years ago at the Players Theatre, winning both the Drama Desk Award for Best Lyrics and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical. Most notably, the production featured a few young girls in the role of Tina whose names might be familiar to contemporary audiences including Britney Spears, Natalie Portman and Laura Bell Bundy. The show continues to be a favorite among regional theaters and productions are continually being staged around the globe.