DEBBIE IS BACK IN SF AND SHE IS THE PERFECT "GOOD GIRL" FOR OASIS SF
'DEBBIE DOES DALLAS' IS AN UPROARIOUS NAUGHTY TIME AND OMG AND D’ARCY ARE FINALLY THE PERFECT TEAM
Two well known theatre companies pair up to bring Debbie back to San Francisco. The award winning “OMG I Love That Show!” from Walnut Creek, and the queen of SF drag theatre D’Arcy Drollinger teamed up to bring DEBBIE DOES DALLAS The Musical with some outrageous charm back to south of Market.
Debbie and her posse of girls and boys are now on stage at the Oasis SF through August 5th. “OMG, I Love That Show!” Productions and D’Arcy Drollinger are thrilled to announce the co-production of DEBBIE DOES DALLAS. Ryan Cowles, artistic director of OMG, has been a favorite of mine since first seeing his studio staged shows in Contra Costa County, and I had always hoped that Cowles and his team would move to a SF Venue. Debbie is the perfect nutty naughty show to make that happen.
D’ Arcy has wanted to produce more theatrical projects in his new venue co owned by his partner Heklina. This first co-production does mark one of the first shows I have seen at the Oasis stage with only one official drag queen in the cast, the lovely over the top Raya Light. The camp naughty Debbie is played by the witty Nancy French and is hot as the high school “good girl”.
Photo's by Steven Underhill, Vince Mediaa, and Zac Wollons
Director Leslie Waggoner has cast the perfect team of able actors to spin this wild story, she says “We are thrilled to collab with OMG - Leave 2017 (behind) journey back to 1978 where cheerleaders learn all they need to know is careers, friendship and feminism.” Waggoner also choreographed the two hour high energy show and the opening number “Bring It” introduces the sizzling cast.
DEBBIE DOES DALLAS is a 1978 porno film which starred the infamous Bambi Woods, she was an icon of well-endowed breasts and long blond hair. The film was one of the most important releases during the “Golden Age of Porn,” and remains one of the best-known films of that genre. A post note is ironically, Woods really did try out for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders but was cut during auditions.
DDD began at the New York Fringe Festival, the musical, with a book by Susan Schwartz and music by Andrew Sherman, Tom Kitt and Jonathan Callicutt. The one act was optioned by Araca, the New York producing firm headed by Clevelanders’ Mathew and Michael Rego and Hank Unger. DEBBIE opened off-Broadway in 2002, and became a cult hit, and has been produced in Australia, NY, Chicago, Los Angeles and this is the second time it has been produced on a SF stage.
The Musical is a funny, smutty, over-the-top story that brings out huge laughs. Director and choreographer Waggoner has created a fast-paced, physical production that utilizes the charm and vitality of her cast to keep the show’s energy at a frantic pace throughout, leading to an outrageous conclusion. Waggoner opens the script for some needed changes and references to iconic moments not to be missed that will make you want to run out and buy a SLIM JIM.
The boys in the cast Joshua Beld, Sergio Lobitio, Ryan Cowles and Kevin Singer play all the male roles and are in and out of their clothes as hormone hopping football jocks and the men in the lives of the cheerleaders to the delight of the cheering sold out audience.
The flawless Singer and Cowles alternate in the role of “super boy” Rick the star of the Beaver Town HS Football Team. The boys open with the teen spirit “Jock Rock” and show off their perfectly round bottoms. Later in the romp the boys strip down for the giddy “Shower Orgy” number that Waggoner and the terrific sound designer Lyle Barerre bring some special authentic class and camp to a team shower.
One of the better bits in the show behind Zac Wollons clever set design of rolling desks, counters and breezy shower curtains was to hide the bottoms and boobs. Prop staff Sara Altier and Ryan Cowles bring on the dildos, bananas, candles, pom poms and SLIM JIMS.
The DDD’s story is rather simple. Small town cheerleader Debbie Benton is thrust into the spotlight amongst her friends when she is accepted as a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. French sings “Letter from Heaven” as she learns the good news and shows off her marvelous voice. She is expected to pay for her own housing and travel expenses, so Debbie needs to earn money fast, and her fellow cheerleaders pitch in to help in exactly the way you would expect cheerleaders in a porn film to make money. The girls sing “Girls Get Jobs” featuring the tuneful "good girls" of Beaverton Jesuit High School, Ally Johnson, Courtney Merrell, Melinda Campero, and Raya Light, as the virgin cheerleaders.
Deb and her good girl squad, of course, turn to the blue side to earn money. That at least is the premise of the classic porn flick and the musical pops into naked teen fun with the song “Shower Orgy” where you will want to run out and get your own meat stick. Waggoner is true to some hysterical dance and head bobs to make all the company sex pumps and googles the best in SF’s South of Market.
Superb music director Tai Ariel keeps the brisk cast on key with sometimes prerecorded music, they all have strong voices and prove that in the number “The Dildo Rag”. The entire cast is eye catching strong, proving to be hilarious, talented, and – most importantly – willing to give one hundred percent commitment to such a perfect San Francisco tits and ass party.
The magnetic Nancy French looks and sounds like the air-headed “good” girl Debbie. She has a nice singing voice and the right vacant look. French opens that 4th wall to give dirty looks to her real life boss Heklina who was front and center during a midweek performance and in laugh mode all night long.
The stand out Melinda Camoero is slut classy as Lisa. The vibrant Courtney Merrell is boob perfect as the geeky, uptight Tammy. The savvy Ally Johnson is right on track as Roberta, the blond bimbo, and the outrageous Raya Light does more than justice to the role of Donna. “The Dildo Rag” with Johnson and Joshua Beld as Mr Hardwick perform the best way to use that regifted candle stick, and the other girls join in to rival as the Candle Dancers.
The girls pound through “Bang Bang” with camp at 100% in Allie Felton’s pom pom costume, short skirts, angel wings, and easy off tops. The men are the most colorful changing into their sleazy dapper look as they double as the girls bosses. French finally gets to wear the Dallas colors for “Dallas I’m Coming” and she belts out “We Broke Up” with her foolproof voice and comic timing. Campero wakes up the second act with pure teen angst in the number “God Must Love A Fool” after she has scooped up Deb’s football stud Rick.
“Record Store Orgy” with the company brings the story home, and no need to spoil the predictable ending, but I am happy to report that it's great to be a “Deb”. Producer D'Arcy stops the show at one point to discuss with Nancy French the gender mixing and sad profile of teens selling their youthful bods for fame. It almost became poignant for a moment then boom the “Ho-Down Finale” blinds us with Sophia Craven’s excellent rock lighting, enriched with the best fog machine south of Market, as Debbie rides to Fame.
Though the music and songs are at times somewhat flat, this sassy naughty teen sex show is an uproarious good time. I laughed more than I wanted too. DEBBIE DOES DALLAS The Musical is a funny, sexy, enjoyable experience, worth seeking out to fulfill your burning desire for a night of hard-core, body-shaking, explosive laughter. I am more than ecstatic that Ryan Cowles and D’Arcy are finally a south of Market theatre team. I look forward to their next projects. I suggest you bring your own SLIM JIM and a bag of bananas.
D’ARCY DROLLINGER AND OMG I LOVE THAT SHOW
Presents
Debbie Does Dallas
The Musical
Book by Susan Schwartz
Music by Andrew Sherman, Tom Kitt and Jonathan Callicutt,
Directed and Choreographed
by Leslie Waggoner
Music Director Tai Ariel
Producers Ryan Cowles and D’Arcy Drollinger
Only through August 5th, 2017
Wednesday-Saturday at 7:00 pm
Two Hours with one intermission
Oasis, 298 Eleventh St. @Folsom St., SF CA 94103
Tickets are $25-$35.
Tickets available at http://sfoasis.com
OMG WEB PAGE: www.omgilovethatshow.com
http://www.sfoasispress.com/debbie
OASIS is wheelchair accessible.
*21 & Up Only*
Photo’s by Steven Underhill, Vince Mediaa and Zac Wollons
“OMG, I Love That Show!” Productions is an award winning non-profit theatre company based in the East Bay that focuses on presenting new, unknown and rarely done musicals. Since opening in 2015, OASIS has quickly become one of San Francisco’s hottest nightclubs offering a diverse roster of programming that includes local and visiting drag stars, cabaret and performing artists, live musical acts, amazing DJs and more within its 8,000 square foot facility.
The cast includes: Joshua Beld, Melinda Campero, Nancy French, Allie Johnson, Ray Light, Sergio Lobito, Courtney Merrell, Ryan Cowles, and Brian SInger. Debbie Does Dallas is directed and choreographed by Leslie Waggoner with music direction by Tal Ariel.
