Review: Epic Theatre Titillates and Thrills with AMERICAN STRIPPERS

AMERICA STRIPPERS is a show that leaves the audience wiping away tears of laughter as it manages to both take one back to childhood while still remaining very adult. Sound overwhelming? It is, but in a very good way.

The show takes place in a strip club in Texas that employs American Legends such as Davy Crockett, Pecos Bill, John Henry, Tom Sawyer and others. On the night of her wedding, Greek Goddess Aphrodite and her other goddess buddies decide to have her bachelorette party at the strip club. Aphrodite is having some second thoughts about marrying Apollo, and the presence of such handsome male strippers isn't making her impending nuptials any more appealing. Added to that, Athena played by Ottavia de Luca is in love with Aphrodite, Demeter played by Hannah Lum had a dalliance with Johnny Appleseed and she wants him back; the club owner Dionysus played by Christopher Verleger keeps changing the rules and trying to get everyone to just have fun and have sex.

There is a lot going on in this play, and there are a lot of characters, but since the characters are either famous American folk heroes or Greek Gods and Goddesses, the audience already has a solid background on most of them, so they get to catch us up on what happened after the story everyone knows has ended. It becomes almost a "Stars, They're Just Like Us" adventure as we watch these formerly powerful people struggle with mundane life problems, all punctuated by the occasional lap dance and orgy.

Though it may be a little tricky to describe what actually happens plotwise in American Strippers, and people should just go and see for themselves, what happens in terms of performance is easy to describe. This play is perfectly cast, and though there are 16 actors in this production, somehow we get to meet and understand all of them. Kerry Giorgi is pouty and beautiful as Aphrodite; Patrick Keeffe is foppish and endearing as Apollo; Michael Puppi is heartfelt and loveable as Johnny Appleseed; Michael Shallcross is intense and a little intimidating as Casey (of "Casey at the Bat"); and Melanie Stone is the most hilarious and sex-crazed Artemis the world has ever seen. Tammy Brown absolutely steals the show as Hera, queen of the gods. Seeming larger than life in a stunning silver gown, she curses her way across the stage with the gorgeous and Prince Valium-esque Apollo trailing behind her.

All of these seemingly disparate elements are beautifully coordinated through the exquisite choreography of Ronald Lewis. The movement in this show, aside from the stripping, which is also great, is absolutely perfect. None of the dancing is particularly elaborate, but it just flows effortlessly across the stage. In particular, the orgy scene, is both erotic and just incredible to watch despite it not having even a hint of vulgarity. It's truly something to see and while it feels strange to recommend an orgy scene so highly, I really do.

Despite the shock of the title and the fact that the play begins with a group of men tearing off their clothes and gyrating, this a play with a lot of heart and a lot of layers. Not only is it thoroughly entertaining, but it sticks with you. Each of these characters is trapped in the purgatory of their own legend and the rules they have to live by, and who couldn't identify with that?

American Strippers shows are Fridays November 6, 13 & 20 at 8pm; Saturdays November 7, 14, 21 at 8pm; Sunday November 15 at 3pm. All shows are at Mixed Magic Theatre, 560 Mineral Spring Ave. Pawtucket RI. Tickets are available at epictheatreri.org

Pictured Rico Lanni and Kerry Giorgi. Photo by Kevin Broccoli

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