HERE
and
Lesbian Pulp-O-Rama
present
Lesbian Pulp-O-Rama
in
A VERY PULPY CHRISTMAS
HERE Arts Center
145 Sixth Avenue
Tickets: (212) 868-4444 or www.smarttix.com
Links: www.onthevergetheatre.org, www.here.org
December 4 – 20, 2003
Sets DAVID EVANS MORRIS
Lighting JULIET CHIA
Costumes COMPANY
Sound BEATRICE TERRY
Stage Manager ALYSON DIEBERT
Press KAREN GRECO ENTERTAINMENT
The Cast
Emily Burton – Heather de Michele – Anna Fitzwater
Melineh Kurdian – Gretchen M. Michelfeld – Beatrice Terry
The Pulp
THE FRESHMAN GIRLS’ HOLIDAY QUARTET: SILVER BELLES
Conceived and Directed by Anna Fitzwater
THE BALLAD OF EBENEZA SCROOGE
Words by Heather de Michele and Anna Fitzwater
Music by Melineh Kurdian
Directed by Heather de Michele
SORORITY SLUTS
By Heather de Michele and Anna Fitzwater
Directed by Heather de Michele
HOLLYWOOD HARLOTS
Written and Directed by Gretchen M. Michelfeld
ORPHANS! THE MUSICAL
Written by Beatrice Terry and Gretchen M. Michelfeld
Directed by Beatrice Terry
Music by Beatrice Terry and Jose Feliciano
Lesbian Pulp-O-Rama has returned with the latest installment A VERY PULPY CHRISTMAS just in time for yuletide 2003. While the evening is not a vast smorgasbord of seasonal treats, there is a sampling of goodies for the taking.
The subjects range from unspoken sorority sister lady-lust to Hollywood casting cubes and a Harley riding Santa from Spain who keeps dildos in her sack for those lucky young girls looking to play house. Though each member of the company gets in some laughs, some of the juiciest roles in A VERY PULPY CHRISTMAS are played by the statuesque Anna Fitzwater, who gets to put her own pulp spin on everyone from Marlene Dietrich to Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond, as well as the ubiquitous naughty nurse and a domineering frau who keeps her orphans in line by virtue of a taunting riding crop.
As with other Pulp-O-Rama events, in A VERY PULPY CHRISTMAS the mini pulp plays are by separated by musical interludes performed guitarist and Pulp balladeer Melineh Kurdian. This time she tells the tale of unwitting lesbian Ebeneza Scrooge, who, in an attempt to escape to the big city finds herself in the Sapphic grip of Jane Street and the ghosts of lesbians past, present and future. While this ballad, separated into three parts, is consistent, the four vignettes that surround it do not necessarily come together as a natural evening of shorts.
An imperfect event in terms of theatrical coherence, what A VERY PULPY CHRISTMAS lacks in power it makes up for in good intentions. Having moved into an era beyond "We’re here, we’re queer, get used to it," the creators of Lesbian Pulp-O-Rama present work that simultaneously satirizes the negative aspects of the pulp fiction novel, specifically the depiction of lesbians as dangerous women, and also eyes the current climate of political and social evolution. To paraphrase a line from "The Ballad of Ebeneza Scrooge," the philosophy of Pulp-O-Rama would seem to be to shout out, "We’re all queer, and it’s all right!" and to shout it out with a wink, a nod, and a great big smile.
Most important to point out about A VERY PULPY CHRISTMAS is that this is one of those holiday show spoofs that can be enjoyed by everyone. Funny is funny, and this is one of those events that is sure to get a few laughs out of even the most curmudgeonly Christmas critter.
- Kessa De Santis -