Troubies' CHiPS Rides Into the Falcon

The Troubadour Theater Company
CHiPS the Musical
written by Rick Batalla & Henry Phillips
directed by Matt Walker
Falcon Theatre
through July 25

It's always great news when the Troubies return to the Falcon for their summer shows. Two seasons back they lampooned The Brady Bunch and maid Alice in Alice Through the Looking Glass and 60s/70s television sitcoms were never the same. This season they turn to TV drama and the 1977 blockbuster CHiPS - and for the very first time, ladies and gentlemen, the Troubies have created their very own musical score for CHiPS The Musical. Rick Batalla and Matt Walker play the simple-minded Ponch, played originally by Erik Estrada and John Baker, originally played byLarry Wilcox, respectively. Needless to say, skin tight uniforms, Ponch's sexy bod and John's perfect coiff aside, these guys bring new and obscenely funny meaning to being California Highway Patrolmen. Thank Heavens! The Troubies' outrageous parody/improv makes this dull show better than it was, or could be or ever hope to be!

Rick Batalla is one helluva funny guy. Not unlike Tim Conway, one of the most brilliant physical comedians ever, all he has to do is get down on the floor to pick up his shades in slow motion - that's a show all by itself. His Ponch is a howl! What can be said about Walker as John? This mischievous clown - blond, redhead or brunette - can do it all, and never let's us forget it!. Batalla and Walker ride their bikes in front of an onstage screen careening over sidewalks and pedestrians and even float above the earth for a bit as they serve to keep the streets of LA safe and secure. Watch out! A lesbian environmental terrorist group-Gang Green-led by KG (the mega funny Beth Kennedy), a synthetic albino, is out to create havoc for the likes of Jim (Joel McCrary), a diner owner who sprays his hair and drops tons of garbage in the sewer outside his establishment, enhancing LA's already deadly pollution. Kennedy is another physical comedienne like Batalla and Walker whose every move onstage has comic meaning - just to see her peel off a bandaid, calling it albino rind, burnt by the sun, is one hilarious moment. McCrary, a big guy, has great presence and when he opens his mouth, he makes it even bigger - he's a hoot and what a great singer! We cannot forget funnyman Mike Sulprizio as Sgt. Joseph Getrear, originally played by Robert Pine. 'Get rear', as the Troubies call him, has a bit too much of the iron fist control and leaves the force for a while to be de-sensitized at Camp Sensitive led with gay aplomb by two Sensitive Guys (Joseph Keane and Andy Lopez). Funny gal Christine Lakin plays Statch, the one female on the force who is asked more than once to bend over and pick up the occasional pen. And Getrear's temporary replacement tough Carmel played with a good balance of toughness and sensuality by Michelle Anne Johnson sure as shootin' gets Ponch in the mood for action. Caroline Gross does a beautiful 'on the ribbons' ballet as she - well, I won't spoil that fun! The highway is not only full of Gang Green but more menacing bandits like a truckload of clowns that our boys help to safety in style. Musn't forget Matthew Morgan as couch potato Grossman, Meleney Humphrey, Kristin D'Andrea, Jen DeMinco, Jackie Seiden and Mike Teele who complete the fab Troubie ensemble.

Praise to the Band with composer Henry Phillips on guitar, Kevin McCourt on keyboard, and on drums musical director Eric Heinly.

The rockin' music, the dancin' (mean choreography from Ameenah Kaplan) and the in-your-face comedy is all here. It's nonstop fun that simply rocks and rocks some more on and on and on... for two whole hours. YEAH! It's better than TV Land, believe me! No intermission, so be sure to p-- before the show.

PG Bring the older kids!

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