It's hard to know where to start talking about Pest Control The Musical. I'm tempted to start by pointing out that it features the best cockroach costumes you've ever seen, or likely will EVER see, in a musical or anywhere else. But that gives the show short shrift, so I’ll start with what my friend and fellow crime writer, Denise Hamilton, wrote after she saw it: "Imagine the Rocky Horror Picture Show meets Little Shop of Horrors. Now, throw in cockroaches, cloak & dagger CIA types, hitmen, a love story, and lots of rock, rap, and dancing and you've got an idea of what you're in for with Pest Control, the Musical." (For more of what Denise thought about it, along with a Q&A we did, click here.)
The first time I saw it, I thought my head might explode. That's the problem when you see someone else's adaptation of your work. You bring a lot of baggage and you recognize that they've used some of the same bags you brought but they've used them in different ways than you did and, well, I can't begin to describe what that does to your head. Or at least my head. Simply put: the show rocks. It also raps and hip hops and belts out a few tunes in standard Broadway form. Did I mention the cockroach costumes? And the shoes. I didn't notice them so much myself, but a lot of the women I know who have seen it can't help but comment on them. Before I say anything else, read what Stage Scene LA said: "Pest Control The Musical may well be the most visually and technically spectacular musical ever staged in a 99-seat L.A. area theater. Its cast is a mix of stars with major Broadway credits and some of our finest local talents. Director - choreographer James J. Mellon and his Open At The Top Productions have mounted a sensational world premiere musical where only the number of seats is small."
(Click here for the whole article.)
It all started with the visionary John J. Moores and executive producer Amy Oh. They optioned the book and then went out and got the most talented people in their fields to help execute the idea, the director and choreographer James J. Mellon and lyricist Scott DeTurk chief among them. There are too many names to list (most of them are mentioned in the articles linked to above) but I thank and admire them all for the fevered dream they cooked up and called Pest Control The Musical. The show closed its initial run on June 15, 2008. The way I understand it, the folks at Canum Entertainment will then evaluate what they've got. They'll do some rewriting and then they'll stage it again. Off Broadway? On Broadway? It's out of my hands, but wherever it is, you should go. You’ll probably see me there.
View more photos from Pest Control The Musical! |
John Allsopp as Main Cockroach
The Bugman Says performed by Karesa McElheny, Darren Ritchie and Alex Robert Holmes
Opening Night Post Party with (l-r) Eugene Caine-Epstein (Scenic Design, Creative Director), Darren Ritchie (Bob Dillon), Amy Oh (Executive Producer), Bill Fitzhugh, Joanna Glushak (Marcella/Vega), John Jay Moores, Jr. (Book), Dana Meller (Chantalle) and Beth Malone (Agent Parker)
Bill and CastMembers during talk back session after June 7, 2008 performance. |
