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Photo by Don Kellogg

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

The Great American Trailer Park Musical



Ok - so the title just about gives away the entire subject matter of the show! If ever you were shopping in Kmart or walking thru South Florida thinking "White Trash" - well this show hits on just about every reference, joke, and stereotype associated with the aforementioned topic in both dialogue and song lyrics... (one lyric laments "Like clothes from Kmart, my life is falling apart").

The characters - one stripper, three "gals" (think Dolly Parton, Jessica Simpson, and a trashy version of Cynthia Nixon), one overweight toll collector (think John Goodman) and his wife (an agoraphobic trailer-wife for 20 years) regale us with their stories via song and dance at a mobile home park in South Florida known as Armadillo Acres.

Now, despite the subject matter (you're probably thinking "low quality") - the actors are all virtual powerhouses and despite the "kitschy" surroundings, run a tight show. Occasionally speaking directly to the audience members and once zoning out into a "Sally Jessie Raphael Talk show dream sequence - - there is a real story behind the scenes - - and it's a simple message - - True Love Conquers All!

For the price of cheap coffee maker ($30) - saunter over to Dodges Stages and catch a performance of "The Great American Trailer Park Musical".