GARDEN CITY— Gather the family, anchor the boat, grab a raspberry shake, and head on over to Pickleville Playhouse for a rootin’ tootin’ good time with Welcome to Dangerville.
Directed by Derek Davis, Dangerville is an original musical western misadventure that is a laugh out loud riot. This new script written by Davis and Jordan Todd Brown was inspired by A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder and Davis’s own life adventures. Although this play is somewhat set as an old time western, the modern jokes, props and technology used throughout the show end up being extremely funny and so relatable.
Complementing the outrageous script are eleven all-new musical numbers by Davis and composer Logan Kyle with music and orchestrations by Kyle Wesley and Gavin McMahan. The catchy songs and tunes cover a variety of different genres yet are all filled with high energy and catchy beats.
Lighting designed by Dean Bressler was dramatic and impactful. Starting off the night with dim lighting as an unclear scene is played out, suddenly blacking out to complete darkness, then shining a bright spotlight on Mayor Dingus as he kicked off the show with the number “Welcome to Dangerville”. The effect of the start of the show was fantastic as was the rest of the show. The harmonies in “Welcome to Dangerville” were tight and amazing as they sounded like a freight train entering a western town.
The play continues with an idyllic couple, Clyde and Cassidy Hunter driving across the country in search of a baby to adopt. They run into trouble when their car breaks down and they look for help only to realize they are in the city of Dangerville and the man they asked for help is an Outlaw who plans on robbing them and leaving them with his own unruly children. Clyde and Cassidy head to Town Hall to report the robbery and meet Mayor Dingus who informs them that there is nothing that can be done to help them since there is no sheriff in town. However, he lets them know that they could earn all the money they lost back by becoming bounty hunters and bringing in a list of outlaws for the reward, dead or alive but preferably dead. The two embark on a crazy and entertaining adventure as one by one they capture and accidentally kill off many crazy and outlandish outlaws around the town of Dangerville as they earn back money to create the family of their dreams.
Davis curated an amazing cast of just six members that were extremely entertaining. Starting with his co-writer Brown who not only helped write the show but also played the role of Mayor Dingus, a comical and mischievous short man in a brown bowler hat, long purple jacquard coat with lime green trim and a green vest. Brown was so hilarious with his quick wit and improv throughout the evening that even the other cast members couldn’t keep a straight face. His sly grin and high nasal voice combined with his dry sense of humor kept the audience laughing throughout the night.
Nathan Kremin had an extremely intensive role playing all of the Outlaws as he pulled off many quick changes and playing very excentric characters with different accents and exaggerated personalities. One of the most memorable characters played by Kremin was Baron Von Boom, a crazy German soldier who loves explosives. As he sang to a polka style song in “Mein Mine”, Kremin excitedly declared “Kaboom, Kaboom” as he danced through land mines with a carefree glee. Playing the role of Redneck Rick, Kremin was a red-necked, hillbilly, deadbeat dad with a vision board with a plan to get away from Dangerville and live a more carefree life. Dressed in a long blue dress with a white lace shawl, feather boa, curly short wig, thick framed glasses and heels, Kremin criticized and berated Clyde and Cassidy as he played Darlene Starr the ruthless talent agent. Kremin displayed a fearless nature dressed as Darlene Starr as he stood on top of a rolling chair in heels and held a very long note then fell backwards in a trust fall into the arms of his fellow cast members. I can’t exclude The Jack Hammer, a loud and tough wrestler with a deep timber in his voice and wild and outlandish wrestling costumes complete with a six-pack body suit and Mexican wresting mask.
Sutton Kaylor and Tori Adler played the roles of Clyde and Cassidy, the unfortunate couple turned bounty hunters. Adler was a fabulous actress with her beautiful expressive face and lovely singing voice. She shown at the end of ‘Wanted’ as she sang an amazing riff singing “Take control of your life because they’re wanted, dead or ALIVE!’ Kaylor was a stereotypical young man and father figure with a knack for getting himself into trouble and making eye rolling dad jokes with the mayor. Adler and Kaylor had some great dance numbers including ‘Another One Dead’ as they sang “Oops shucky darn there’s another one dead”.
Butch and Bonnie, the two teenage kids left to the care of the Hunters were played by Jaycee Harris and Adrian Graff. Both ragged kids looked a mess with dirty faces, patches on their clothes and unkept curly hair, especially Harris’s oversized curly wig. Graff was a riot as he kept giving the wrong advice from his dad as he tried to remember “Locked doors are like wedgies, they are meant to be picked.” Both sang with vigor and inspiration as they sang about a dream they had to visit a very magical place with a castle their mom once told them about.
Josh Musselman accompanied the show as the Pianist as he sat off to the side of the stage and played theatrical background music throughout the night. He playfully interacted with the cast and masterfully helped the show move along smoothly as he played the piano flawlessly.
Set construction by Lineset Design created multiple scenes with minimal set pieces but with great effect. The design and decoration of the house set piece definitely told the story of a run-down old town. Wanted posters were posted all over the wings of the stage creating a depth and story line. Projections framed around the top and sides of the stage during “Everything’s Fine” showed moving videos of driving through the mountainside and created a sense that the stage was outdoors and not quite so small. Other projections through the night greatly added to the effect and impact of the show including wanted posters, an explosion and lightning strike.
Overall Welcome to Dangerville is an extremely funny new show that you won’t want to miss if you are planning on going to Bear Lake this summer. Take the whole family reunion, it’s fun for all ages! Although many of the jokes are targeted towards Utah culture and modern pop culture, this show could be adapted to other cities and communities with jokes that would apply to their local peculiarities. Be prepared to be entertained, laugh out loud, and enjoy the wild and crazy adventure of Dangerville.
