Review: COSMIC TRASH: THE MUSICAL (THE NEXT ADVENTURE) at Gamut Theatre

When you think of the mysterious world of the tarot, what usually comes to mind is likely a tiny, dimly lit shop full of mystical old world objects and an eccentric woman who is incredibly excited to look into your past, present, and future to solve your problems. This sibylline atmosphere was brilliantly transformed for the stage by one of Harrisburg's premier improv troupes, Cosmic Trash, for the 2024 Harrisburg Fringe Festival. For the second year in a row, Vanessa Codorniu and her eccentric team of comedians took audiences on an hour long ride through a fully improvised musical experience, using the tarot as their guiding light. Gamut Theatre hosted this gem of a show and served as the perfect play space for these actors.

The technical elements of this show were quite powerful. Three intricate tarot themed tapestries made for a gorgeous backdrop amidst the stunning wooden stage. Warm candlelight helped to create a perfect ambience for our reading session. The intimacy of the theatre space lent well to feeling like we were part of the experience instead of merely observers. As I walked into the theatre, I literally felt a wave of warm, loving, and welcoming energy, which was an incredible thing to vibe with throughout the show. My only disappointment was that because the performers were not supplied with mics, there were a few lines that got lost for me despite everyone's best attempts at projection, which is rather frustrating as an audience member when watching improv. Maybe next year, Gamut could consider offering this upgrade to whoever they host.

As a well seasoned tarot reader of over 25 years, I can confirm that there was a lot of stunning accuracy throughout the course of this show in terms of the personality of the tarot itself. We picked up one year after the events of the last show to find 2 of our readers, Lolita (Vanessa Codorniu) and Irina (Lisa Hollenbach), returning to channel the archetypes of the tarot and, in doing so, solve some of the audiences biggest "trash" problems. The opening number was the only song prewritten as a group effort with a musical score by Ryan Brady, and wow was it catchy! The rest of the show was a series of hilariously improvised readings and related skits with song. In the end, a beautiful message about balance and being true to oneself was taught to our readers by the archetypes they conjured.

This animated cast of characters included Dan Honegger as the not so scary Death card, Anna Novak as the mysterious Moon card, Zach Nafziger as the chaotic Tower card, Maria Tait as the grounded High Priestess card, Christine McLinn Beutel as the beautfiul and spicy Empress card, and Micah Stevenson absolutely judging everyone in his role as the Judgment card. James Mitchell masterfully flowed between the trinity of the Magician, Wheel Of Fortune, and Fool cards. The hysterical laughter of the audience is a testament to just how well these performers did. It is very challenging to improvise for almost an hour and keep an engaging, cohesive storyline with clearly developed characters, yet this is exactly what Cosmic Trash achieved while somehow managing to perform well curated songs on the spot as well. I feel it is important to note that this performance was dedicated to Shamia Terry, who was a reader in last year's show and passed away before this performance. Much love to those suffering from this loss.

Cosmic Trash: The Musical (The Next Adventure) was fulfilling from beginning to end. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for a unique evening of theatre that is both sidesplittingly funny and deeply profound on a literal cosmic level. Though this particular show's future is uncertain at the moment, you should go see Cosmic Trash at the HARRISBURG IMPROV THEATRE. You can also follow their Facebook page HERE to keep up to date on upcoming shows and experiences. The art of tarot has truly been elevated and made more accessible to the general public through Cosmic Trash's work, and I hope they are able to continue to blossom and grow this unprecedented advencement in improvisational styles.

*If you enjoyed my review, please consider leaving a tip and/or checking out my other work HERE. To inquire about sponsorship/ad placement opportunities with my entertainment company, Jagged Lollipop Productions™, or to request a creative partnership/hire me, please email me HERE for my rates and resume in acting, modeling, management, directing, and writing.