C of C presents blue-collar musical
'I'm looking forward to my first pole dance lesson tomorrow, but I will say it will be a stretch for me to play a stripper, especially with my parents and friends out there watching!" says Mary Rogers McMaster, star of "The Great American Trailer Park Musical," opening Thursday at the College of Charleston.
In a phone interview, the actress sounds totally jazzed over her role of Pippi in Betsy Kelso's blue-collar musical set in Florida's Armadillo Acres Trailer Park.
"There's no real nudity in the show, just highly suggested nudity," assures McMaster of the adults-only show.
Director Brent Laing, a senior theater instructor, says, "Actually, Pippi is on the run from her gun-toting, cooking spray-huffing stalker of an ex-boyfriend, Duke. But when she comes between longtime trailer park resident Jeannie and her husband, Norbert, it's like an earthquake rattled through Armadillo Acres."
"Although Pippi does sleep with a married man, it's really not all her fault," McMaster says, defending her character. "One night, when Pippi's stripping at The Litter Box Show Palace, Norbert comes in and it's like lightning hit; she just falls for him. But nobody, of course, ever considers it could be the husband's fault, too," says the actress.
"The reason for the drastic shake-up is that Jeannie and Norbert Garstecki have been soulmates since high school, and lived in Armadillo Acres since their marriage," says Laing. "But after their son was kidnapped, Jeannie became agoraphobic, and mostly stayed home watching 'Dr. Phil.' However, the couple's 20th anniversary is coming up and Jeannie has decided to celebrate by attending the 'Ice Capades' with her man."
A Columbia native who has sung for public events since childhood, McMaster is a junior theater major who performed last season in the college's staging of "Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean."
"This show doesn't call for a whole lot of thinking, so people can just sit back and have a great time," says McMaster.
With music and lyrics by David Nehls, the tale is related by a chorus of three trailer park neighbors: Betty, the manager of Armadillo Acres; Lin, a woman whose husband is on death row for a murder he committed during an incident of road rage; and Pickles, a 17-year-old girl who suffers from hysterical pregnancies.
Other key members of the large cast include: Rachel Troublefield Nelson as Jeannie; George Carruth as Norbert; and Austin Cantrell as Duke.
Laing says all the actors will sing "classy tunes" such as "Roadkill" and "Owner of My Heart."
Accompanying them will be a three-piece band conducted by musical director Laura Ball, with choreography by dance faculty member Gretchen McLaine.
Compared to the 1980s musical "Pump Boys and Dinettes" and sometimes referred to as a mix of television's "My Name is Earl" and Greek tragedy, "Trailer Park" premiered in 2004 at the New York Music Theatre Festival. It made its off-Broadway debut in 2005 before going on national tour in 2008.
So why was this picked to wrap up the college's theater season?
"I wanted to direct this show because it has captivated audiences for six years by using the most ancient powers of theater: cooking spray and strippers," says Laing, with a laugh.
A production of the theater department, the musical will be performed at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, continuing Monday and Tuesday, with a 3 p.m. matinee April 18 at the Robinson Theatre in the Simons Center for the Arts, 54 St. Philip St.
Tickets are $15 general admission, $10 for College of Charleston students, faculty and staff and senior citizens age 60 and older. They may be purchased by calling 953-5604 or at the door.
A discussion with the audience, cast and crew will be held opening night following the performance.
Reach Dottie Ashley at dottieashley@gmail.com.
