Theme Park Diva: The Musical  

 

 

 

‘Theme Park Diva: The Musical'
By Roger Moore | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted May 21, 2005

Theme Park Diva returns to Fringe this year, reaffirming its spot as the one show everybody who's ever worked in a theme park must see.





It's about a gal, a gal with a dream, to star in those "click track" musical production numbers at the places Orlando is famous for.

It's about a guy, dressed as a gal, who wants to write the best darned theme park production number ever.

And it's about as silly and savagely savvy as any one show about theme park "types" has a right to be. John B. deHaas, a veteran of parks from Williamsburg to Japan, co-wrote and composed it and plays the piano as we follow Suzi Ditty (Jenn Raymond, very good) on her climb to the top.

That climb must take her past reigning diva Amber Crystal (Trudie Petersen, t-rif).

It's a show with tunes about a "family" theme "and all the guys here are gay!" Hel-LO!

It's about how the last show of the day is the "fast show," how "cast members" play games with each other, passing off pennies from dancer to dancer, during numbers, to keep from dying of boredom.

David Houde is a stitch as Ms. Terry Richards, director and writer of such shows at Galaxy World . Jason Kraack - that's his real name, we looked it up - stands out in a variety of singing, lisping and Spanish-accented roles.

See it and you'll pick up a whole new take on park hopping.

Remaining performances: 1:40 p.m. Sunday; 6:10 p.m. Monday; 9:15 p.m. Wednesday; 2:10 p.m. Saturday; 1 p.m. next Sunday.

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