Review: Get Lei'd at PSYCHO BEACH PARTY

Psycho Beach Party is a lot like United States of Tara - if Tara included beach babes, surfing, and nods to Joan Crawford.

In StageQ's latest production, written by Charles Busch, reality is turned on its head for a group of fun-loving beach bums in a happy-go-lucky 1960's throwback.

When the innocent Chicklet (a varied Andi Joyner) wants to learn how to surf from the tenacious surfer dude Kanaka (a shaggy haired and Scooby-Doo's pal Shaggy-esque Noah Koebe), the other surfers can't take her seriously - that is until she reveals a few of her hidden personalities.

Mixed into the bunch of teenage movie tropes are the nerdy best friend (a silly Evelyn Gildrie-Voyles as Berdine), the man hunter (the vivacious Alison Lynn Tyler as Marvel Ann), and the guy who is just trying to fit in with the "cool kids" (the groovy Edric Johnson as Star Cat). Busch's script is a melting pot of movie mashups with all of the fun and none of the hefty drama.

Partially reviving his role of "Mommie Dearest" from StageQ's 2014 production of Christmas with the Crawfords is Terry Christopher as Chicklet's mother Mrs. Forrest who smacks completely of Joan Crawford.

Thrown in for good measure are the adorably goofy beach bums - who are secretly an item - (Sean Kramer and Joshua K. Paffel as Provoloney and Yo Yo respectively) and a fabulously absurd Donnovan Moen as the incognito movie star Bettina Barnes.

Directed by Michael Bruno - the man behind Christmas with the Crawfords - Psycho Beach Party is a light hearted romp in the sand. But, that romp comes with a dominatrix's demands in tow which makes it an even zanier vacation from a soggy winter evening.

In an homage to the colorful '60s by Dino Maniaci, the scenery sets a playful tone for the show and makes the moments of mania even more laughable. After all, who could keep a straight face as Joyner's Chicklet morphs into her dominatrix persona while surrounded by a cutesy tiki motif?

Giving audience members plastic leis as they arrive also helps get that party feeling going.

A unique piece of the show is original music by Joey Broyles which completed the festive atmosphere. On Saturday night it seemed that there was some volume trouble, however, and much of the first song's lyrics were muffled by the musical underscoring. But Broyles was able to overcome the trouble for his second appearance at the tiki bar.

Psycho Beach Party is the kind of show that one can thoughtlessly enjoy - that is to say, the jokes are funny, the play on words are obvious, and audiences of all kinds can enjoy themselves. The baddies are over the top, the main character is completely ridiculous, and the audience clearly had a ball - at one point literally.

So escape the bitter Wisconsin winter and watch the cast of Psycho Beach Party go coconuts.

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