Disaster! The Musical

My thoughts on Disaster! The Musical or “Sky High” entertainment

This is my fourth time on board the doomed floating casino Barracuda since 2019 and my second journey with Director Lon Barrera at the helm. Disaster! is always entertaining but when you have someone who knows comedy and musicals as well as Barrera, who is assisted this time by Samantha Padilla, leading the Disaster! experience, everything is amped up and the hysteria on stage makes for hysterical tidal waves of laughter from the audience.

Disaster! by Seth Rudetsky and Jack Plotnick is a send up of the 1970’s disaster films with particular focus on “The Poseidon Adventure.” It is filled with bell bottomed, polyester clad stereotypes and the score is a nonstop parade of the hits of the era. (Was there really a time when we listened to “Muskrat Love” without cringing?)

Barrera and crew have put together an impressive Barracuda. Scenic Designer Kevin Brown has the set in ship shape, even including an elevator. Kyle Harris’s lighting and Mallory Roelke’s projection design keep us at sea and highlight all the mayhem. Erika Durham’s costumes have the look of the double-knit era down pat and Ryan Brazil ‘s sound turns up the volume on all those familiar tunes.

Music Director/Conductor Kristin Spires, who also plays Keys 1, has the band that includes Kurt Hilsabeck on Keys 2, Sam Walker on guitar, Scott Eckert on bass, and Mark Howard on drums, making those hits sound better than they did coming from the eight-track tape desk in my Chevy Nova.

Choreographer Kelli McCain gives the cast quite a workout with all that disco infused dancing and turns the production numbers into pulsating visual tableaus. The most surprising number was the “Fifth of Beethoven” scene that is usually a tap dance solo. McCain opens it up and includes several company members making it an unexpected treat.

This cast. They take their comedy seriously, spouting all those absurdly funny lines earnestly, making the laughs even greater. Everyone is just shy of being over the top and that’s why this Disaster! is beyond seaworthy. Even earthquakes, piranhas, tidal waves, explosions, sharks, fires, and rats can’t stop this musical.

Roberto Mata is Chad Rubik, a dashing young man who loves the ladies but is in reality heartbroken after being left at the altar. Mata brings all the charm to the guy and his voice is so strong, he almost had me thinking “Feelings” was a good song for about five seconds. Chad is with his best friend Scott, and they are caterers on the Barracuda. Ryan Terry gives Scott a loveable awkwardness as he looks to Chad to teach him how to be a ladies’ man.

And wouldn’t you know the woman who abandoned Chad, investigative journalist Marianne Wilson, played by Brooke Potts, just happens to be on board. Potts has a lovely voice and captures Marianne’s strength and underlying insecurity perfectly. Mata and Potts have a great duet with “I’d Really Love to See You Tonight.”

Marianne is on the Barracuda investigating Tony Del Vecchio, the corrupt owner of the floating casino. Grant Hollowell, one of DFW’s finest song and dance men, brings so much sexist sleaziness to the role that I’m pretty certain the Barracuda left behind an oil slick. Tony is in a relationship with the ship’s cabaret singer Jackie Noelle, played by the terrific Kat Dennis. Dennis scores as the beleaguered mother of twins caught up in a disaster and a disastrous relationship. I wanted to hear her belt out another verse or two of “I Will Survive” and her duet (trio?) with her twins Ben and Lisa is hilarious. The incredible young Joseph Haraldson plays Ben and Lisa, singing and acting with the timing of a pro. All I can say is you got it kid!

Luckily for Jackie and the twins, Ted Scheider, a scientist who specializes in disasters is on the ship and lucky for us he is played by the amazingly talented Geoff Lutz. Lutz, a trained dancer with a powerful voice, is a comic wonder here. I still laugh thinking about his “Nadia’s Theme” rescue. This man has the moves.

A down on her luck former disco diva, Levora Verona, is on board with her dog Baby. Verona is played to the hilt by Rachale Ramos. She’s part Foxy Brown and part Donna Summer and literally brings down the house, make that ship, singing “Knock on Wood.”

Maury and Shirley Winters played by Bill Lewis and Cathy Pritchett are here celebrating Maury’s retirement and unbeknownst to Maury, Shirley is dying of a strange affliction that makes her eyes twitch and to uncontrollably spew forth obscenities. Lewis and Pritchett, totally real as a longtime couple, sing a winning version of “You’re Still the One” to each other. Pritchett has a field day as the afflicted Shirley, often gagging herself to ebb the flow of curse words and fighting her other symptoms. Her tap dance to save the lives of Chad and Marianne is a major highlight of the second act.

And then there’s Sister Mary Downey, the gambling addicted nun, played by the brilliant Briana Berk. I can’t recall the last time I laughed so hard in the theater that I cried but Berk’s sister did it for me. Is it possible for a portrayal to be nuanced and unrestrained simultaneously? I know it is because Berk did it in front of me. To watch Berk as Sister Downey fight her addiction while lusting after a slot machine singing a medley of “Never Can Say Goodbye” and “Torn Between Two Lovers” is comic gold, pure uproarious joy. I need a video of it to watch on my down days. Brava.

Another reason that this Disaster! is off the charts fun is the large and very talented ensemble that includes Abby Ray Boyd, Yleana Dara, Collette Dufrene, Christine Kudlicki, Kiley Harmon, Chris Medina, Harold Moon, Arianna Reed, Garrison Roller, and Joseph Vondra.

The world is crazy these days. Get on board the Barracuda and let this dynamite cast keep you laughing for a couple hours. It’s riotously entertaining. The fun continues through March 23 at the Uptown Theater in Grand Prairie.

Photos by Kris Ikejiri