Torn Ticket II is goin' down to South Park, to have themselves a time.
"South Park the Musical: Bigger, Longer, and Live" is a fun and fresh take on Matt Stone and Trey Parker's irreverent 1999 film based on their popular television series. With a relaxed venue, simple but clever costumes, and a talented cast, the show good-humoredly entertains on a low-budget.
Directed by junior Bonnie Lury, adapted by junior Assistant Director Christina Chappell for the stage, and with musical direction and piano accompaniment by junior Anne Damassa, the musical features old familiar favorites such as Satan, Big Gay Al, Mr. Mackey, and more.
The director, Bonnie Lury, explained her motivation in producing the musical.
"I really wanted to create an original show that could appeal to many different people and that would encourage them to forget their problems and just laugh for a little while," she said.
While some find the profanity and humor of South Park to be offensive, the cast and crew aimed to be more suitable in their adaptation. "Please know that we did our very best to make the show funny and appropriate, though there is a lot of foul language. I encourage people to go with an open mind and to enjoy the show for what it is," Lury said.
That's easy, mmkay. In addition to the already hilarious tale by Parker and Stone, the live performance element gives an extra absurdity and cheekiness to the characters. Any awkwardness that may arise in the translation from film to stage is more than made up for by the zest and enthusiasm of the performers.
Terrence and Phillip's "Uncle F**KA" is performed with gusto by juniors Brett Weiner and Adam Landy. Juniors Rhonda Barkan, Billy Stanford, and sophomore Steven Leibowitz, as Stan, Cartman, and Kyle, respectively, are earnest and perfectly timed in their rendition of "What would Brian Boitano do?" The verses are punctuated by their alternating stances in ice-skating positions.
Sophomore Gabriela Jirasek, as Kyle's mom, Sheila Broflovski, is a living cartoon. Manic and shrill, she shows off an impressive voice leading "Blame Canada" as her character drives the plot to execute the beloved Terrence and Phillip. Mike La Fazia's sincere and sensitive Satan is memorable in his solo, "Up There."
The spirit of the cast keeps the pace rapid and the choreography is cute, in the deliberate, traditional musical style. The entire cast is featured in "La Resistance," a medley with infectious energy.
"I think the cast does an amazing job with it, and it's probably the most musically interesting," Damassa said.
The delight the cast takes in the show is fun to watch. The ensemble cast of thirteen juggles their roles as citizens of South Park admirably, and the costumes which are crafty, simple, and unfussy aid in the quick switches.
The costumes are white t-shirts featuring a picture of each actor's particular character paired with jeans and sneakers. For those actors who have more than one (and quite a few do), there are Velcro attachment characters to cover the old. The low budget and lack of a costume designer made the do-it-yourself costumes practical, but they also add to the quirky good time and contribute to a concept of deliberate childishness that is characteristic of "South Park."
"South Park the Musical: Bigger, Longer, and Live" is an irreverent, laid-back riff on an irreverent, laid-back film. It's a fun story sprinkled with expletives, and potty humor. So while that may not be for everyone, the talent of the cast and crew working with the low budget and less-than-ideal space is worth a watch alone.
And if you don't like it; take this advice from Cartman, "Go $%#@ yourself."
