Hellzapoppin to Break Loose at VA's American Century

Arlington, VA's American Century Theatre will re-create the legendary comedy musical Hellzapoppin from July 14th through August 18th.
 
According to press materials, "Hellzapoppin (1938) was created by and starred Ole Olsen and Chick Johnson.  The show was a monstrous Broadway hit musical comedy revue that ran for over 5 years. Audiences loved what the critics panned. What was unique about the show was its willingness to break any and all rules. Hellzapoppin didn't just break the 'fourth wall;' it shattered it. And audiences came and came and came.
 
Television, on occasion, has tried to duplicate Hellzappopin formula of literal comedy, non-sequiturs, and silliness with such shows as "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In," "Hee-Haw," Nickelodeon's kid's comedy "You Can't Do That on Television," "The Muppet Show," and the first seasons of "Saturday Night Live," among others.

"Clearly, Hellzapoppin is over-due for a genuine stage revival. But, there is no published script, and the original production changed every night. Marshall, and Musical director Tom Fuller extracted the best, most enduring and most famous bits and skits and much of Olsen and Johnson's banter. They discarded the hopelessly dated routines and merged some others with similar-themed material from Olsen and Johnson movies.  Original audience interaction material was retained, as well as the skits requiring audience stooges. The original musical score was partially missing, but generally forgettable and replaced with an eclectic collection of nonsense songs, parodies and vaudeville-inspired musical comedy routines for today's audiences."

The show will feature a cast that includes Bill Karukas (Olsen) and Doug Krenztlin (Johnson) and multi-talented TACT comedy veterans, Brian Crane, Andrea Creel, Suzanne Edgar, Steve Ferry, Kathy Fuller, Tanera Hutz, Steve Lebens,  Steve McWilliams, Alex Perez, Bruce Alan Rauscher, Jennifer Robison Potts, John Tweel and Glenn White, as well as Ron Sarro, Deborah Critzer, Evan Crump, Esther Covington, Christy Frye, Louis George, Mary Millbin, Ginny Tarris, and Emily Webbe. Young newcomers include Alice Fuller, Anne Fuller and Claire Fuller.  
 
Producer Eleanor Gomberg has brought together a technical team including Rip Clauussen (assistant director and customer) , Mike Switalski (set designer), Matt Otto (sounder designer) Marc Wright (lighting designer) and Rhonda Hill (stage manager).

The American Century Theater is a 501 (c) (3) professional nonprofit theater company dedicated to producing, great, important, and neglected 20th Century American plays and playwrights. TACT is funded in part by the Arlington County Cultural Affairs Division of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, numerous foundations and many generous donors.
 
Hellzapoppin will be performed July 14-August 18, 2007 at Theater II, Gunston Arts Center, 2700 S. Lang Street, Arlington, VA 22206. Performances are Wednesday-Saturday evenings at 8 PM and 2:30 PM matinees on July 15, 22, 29 and August 4, 11, and 18. Tickets are $23-$29. Visit www.americancentury.org or call 703.553.8782 for information and tickets and group sales.