Many of the audience members will be wearing pink, fuzzy tiaras. Many of the male cast members will be wearing heels. If that’s not your idea of a fabulous time, then exit stage left.
If, however, your funny bone is in fabulous shape (yes, I just said “fabulous” again), Pandora Productions’ staging of Ron Lytle’s Oh My Godmother won’t disappoint.
This San Francisco version of the classic fairytale, where Cinder-Albert pines for love while his stepmother, the Wicked “Bitch” of the West, romps around wreaking havoc on his self-esteem, is witty, colorful, and hilarious. Although a 2-hour long drag show might be a bit much for some, the cast is charming and seems to be conscious of Pandora’s vision: “Profound relatedness and belonging by and for our diverse human community.”
With winking references to West Side Story, Wizard of Oz, and, of course, the well-loved Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella musical, Oh My Godmother is deliberately over-the-top, but there are moments of real connection between its characters, and many scenes provide needed commentary on America’s bad habit of shamelessly baring its homophobia.
Having made its Midwest debut at the Bunbury Theatre, with overwhelming support from the Louisville community, Pandora has added a Sunday matinee to the two-week-long run.
So strap on your sequined, size-9 slippers… Prince is looking - yep, you guessed it - simply fabulous.
