The show was a hoot, and reminded me of the many fairy-tale children’s-shows-by-adults I’ve participated in over the years. It had cartoonish, over-the-top characters, a couple of “wicked queens” and a wild chase scene. The contestant daughters were portrayed by two little, empty, starched dresses, pink and blue. They were tossed, hugged and abused willy nilly as the “props” these characters were. There is a fun plot and a dash of real human sympathy that warms the heart as well as the funny bone.
Ben Guenther is the sweet but put-upon “Bob” — business partner (NOT “assistant”!) of “Bobby,” played with excruciating hilarity by Kyle Haggard. These two offer a seminar for parents (the audience) on how to transform our ugly daughters into beauty pageant winners. Between seminar sessions, we meet Pinky (Nicole May) mother of contestant “Chevrolet," wickedly gushing to pageant winner “Puddle’s” mother Marge — an earnest if misguided and mistreated Bobbi Newman. Pinky offers to pay for Marge’s daughter’s future pageant coaching with Bob and Bobby — with a predictable ulterior motive to handicap the competition. Bobbi Newman also plays Pinky’s mom in a couple telling flashbacks. Pinky’s husband (Quinn Kelly) is rich and well intentioned but no match for his wife’s demanding Beauty Witchy-ness. Marge’s jailbird abuser husband is Liam Patrick Lynch. Robert Fernholz’s set offers pink-ness and sparkle — with areas for Pinky’s home, the pageant stage, and the jail visiting room, so scenes can speed on without set changes.
This show does have a dash of “adult language and situations” but is mostly just 75 minutes of FUN!
Pageant Play continues Saturday March 30 & April 5-7 - at 8 pm Fri/Sat and 2 pm Sun.
LCC Black Box is easiest to find entering the Gannon Building from Grand Avenue, small door on the south end of the building. Room 1422 Gannon Building. Tickets available at the door a half hour before the performance. $5 students $10 general public.