A trashy treat at Miners Alley

‘The Great American Trailer Park Musical’ delivers on every level

Question: What do you get when you cross daytime’s The Young and the Restless with an episode of Married with Children and throw in a lot of clever dialogue and music and lyrics with an extra helping of raunch? Answer: The Great American Trailer Park Musical.

Now playing at Miners Alley Playhouse in Golden, this musical is an absolute gem that spares no one. Even Dr. Phil is prominently roasted. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

First, there is the trailer park version of a Greek chorus. Betty, Pickles, and Linoleum are hilariously played by Julia Tobey, Jenna Moll Reyes, and Preston “P-Jay” Adams. They are more than happy to share with anyone their somewhat twisted world of Armadillo Acres, Florida’s premier trailer park. The opening number features the trio sunning themselves using Crisco and aluminum foil for optimum effect. They guide us through the next two hours playing multiple characters, including Dr. Phil, while making sure that the audience is kept abreast of the onstage action. All three are given the chance to shine. Each has a supercharged voice, especially Adams who punctuates many of the lyrics with her showstopping vocal range.

The plot revolves around Norbert (Rory Pierce) and Jeannie (Abby Apple Boes) on the cusp of celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary with tickets to Ice Capades. But problems arise for our happy (?) couple. Boy, do they arise! Both actors are wonderfully relatable without coming across as caricatures. Norbert could easily be mistaken for an aging Don Johnson while Jeannie, who suffers from agoraphobia, is straight out of the medical journals.

In comes the newest inhabitant of Armadillo Acres – Pipi (Norell Moore), the stripper with a heart of gold fleeing from her abusive former boyfriend. As Pipi, Moore is as tough as she is vulnerable — not to mention being very adept at pole dancing. And her singing voice is strong and expressive.

Sparks soon fly between Norbert and Pippi. Without being able to control themselves, they immediately act on their carnal desires. Trying to keep their sordid affair on the down low, nothing escapes our three ladies of the park. Before long everyone knows about Norbert and Pippi, including Jeannie, the wife, who is desperately trying to overcome her agoraphobia in time for Ice Capades and that 30th anniversary. Add to the mix Pippi’s former boyfriend Duke (Nick Rigg), who is out to win back Pippi before the final curtain falls. Rigg is a brute with a gun and felt markers. (You’ll know when you see the show!)

I refuse to give away the final show-stopping moments of The Great American Trailer Park Musical which left both the performers and the audience gasping for air.

What I will share is that the production is filled with ingenious music and lyrics by none other than David Nehls. Always clever and slightly naughty, they move the action along in an almost effortless fashion combining pop, rock, and dare I say, disco. Nehls has quite a backstory as to how this musical came about, and it is with great distinction that he is here in Colorado and happens to be the musical director and keyboard for this production.

P.S. I’ve already searched Amazon for the original cast recording. And lo and behold, they have it! *

Along with the music, the book by Betsy Kelso is always on the mark and filled with red-hot references often skewering current and past celebrities and newsmakers. As outrageous and funny as the storyline seems, Kelso’s dialogue never drifts far from reality and at times even makes the most incredible scenarios seem plausible.

Under the direction of Piper Lindsay Arpan, the pace of the production is unrelenting. It’s a firecracker waiting to ignite, and it eventually does. She incorporates the musical numbers in such a way that they themselves move the storyline along in a seamless manner. Also responsible for the choreography, Arpan moves the actors around the stage with total intent and commitment. It’s fun to watch Arpan’s master plan fill the small auditorium as if it was the size of a football field.

Credit must be given for the scenic design by Johnathan Scott-McKean and the costume design by Steffani Day. Both elements are appropriately trashy and always character specific. And property designer Samantha Piel has found some very cool lunch pails too.

Don’t shy away from The Great American Trailer Park Musical given preconceived thoughts you may have about trailer parks and their precarious place in American society. It is all part of the fun.

*For more about David Nehls’ incredible journey, read Toni Tresca’s Jan. 26 article in Westword