An Evening with Elmore & Gwendolyn Putts, the Neighbors Next Door
| An Evening with Elmore & Gwendolyn Putts, The Neighbors Next Door | |
|---|---|
 Todd Erickson, Megan Cavanagh, Bobby McGuire, Caroline Schless, Richard O'Donnell | |
| Company | New Age Vaudeville |
| Genre | Musical Comedy Improvisation Slapstick |
| Show type | Open-run |
| Date of premiere | October 31, 1986 |
| Final show | June 13 1987 |
| Location | Crosscurrents, Chicago Comedy Cabaret, Wis. |
| Creative team | |
| Producers | McKenzie & O'Donnell |
| Director | Amy McKenzie |
| Book Music Lyrics | Richard O'Donnell |
| Production Design | Peter Neville |
| Other information | |
| Years Active | 1983-87 |
An Evening With Elmore & Gwendolyn Putts, The Neighbors Next Door is an American musical comedy, with a book, music, and lyrics by Richard O’Donnell, directed by Amy McKenzie, and performed by the New Age Vaudeville theater company in Chicago.
History[edit]
Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin[edit]
An Evening with Elmore & Gwendolyn Putts, The Neighbors Next Door was originally staged at the Comedy Cabaret at the Glidden Lodge Resort in Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin, summer 1986 by New Age Vaudeville.[1]
Chicago, Illinois[edit]
In the fall of 1986, The members of New Age Vaudeville relocated to Chicago, to be the first resident theatre company at the acclaimed CrossCurrents cabaret, 3206 N. Wilton Street.[2]
Their first production, An Evening with Elmore & Gwendolyn Putts, The Neighbors Next Door officially premiered in Chicago at the CrossCurrents upstairs cabaret theater, October 31, 1986.[3][4]
Production[edit]
An Evening With Elmore & Gwendolyn Putts, The Neighbors Next Door is written by Richard O'Donnell, and was performed by the New Age Vaudeville Theater Co., members of Actor’s Equity Association (AEA). The set and props were designed by NAV member Peter Neville, and the production was produced and directed by Amy McKenzie.[3]
Because of her pregnancy, Amy McKenzie, who originated the role of Pamela, was replaced by Chicago actress Caroline Schless.[4]
“Something of a Charles Addams cartoon…”[3] An Evening with Elmore & Gwendolyn Putts, The Neighbors Next Door, “…displays a variety of comedic forms--from mime to slapstick, one-liners to thoughtful satirical jabs,”[3] and has a “…wizardry in blending 50’s sitcom norms with comic impersonations.”[5]
An Evening with Elmore & Gwendolyn Putts, The Neighbors Next Door was also praised for its originality by Chicago Tribune critic Rick Kogan, who wrote ``Nowhere are there jokes about yuppies, Harold Washington or the CTA. Instead, New Age Vaudeville seeks (and most of the time succeeds) to push the limits of what we have become to accept too easily as ``cabaret comedy.``[3]
Play Synopsis[edit]
An Evening with Elmore & Gwendolyn Putts, The Neighbors Next Door, is a musical comedy farce that reveals one late afternoon in the life of a suburban family of nerds. The Putts are so dysfunctional, in fact, that when victimized and held captive by a home invader, a crazed biker named “Helmet Head” they thwart his plans to rob them and instead recruit him into their family.
Roles and cast[edit]
Wisconsin[edit]
(+ denotes member of A.E.A.)
- Elmore Putts - Richard O’Donnell+
- Gwendolyn Putts - Megan Cavanagh+
- Clifford Putts - Todd Erickson
- Mel “Helmet Head” Farley - Bobby McGuire
- Pamela - Amy Mckenzie+
Chicago[edit]
(+ denotes member of A.E.A.)
- Elmore Putts - Richard O’Donnell+
- Gwendolyn Putts - Megan Cavanagh+
- Clifford Putts - Todd Erickson
- Mel “Helmet Head” Farley - Bobby McGuire
- Pamela - Caroline Schless
References[edit]
- ^ Scone, S. (July 25, 1986). "Calendar: An Evening with". No. New Age Vaudeville from 1986 - 1987. Green Bay Press-Gazette. Archived from the original on January 20, 2018. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ Kogan, Rick (October 31, 1986). "Crosscurrents Take on a New Challenge". Chicago Tribune. No. News. Tribune, Co.
- ^ a b c d e Kogan, Rick (November 14, 1986). "`An Evening With . . .` Excels Like Few Others". Chicago Tribune - Entrainment section. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
- ^ a b Kogan, Rick (May 3, 1987). "Vaudeville Troupe Takes Leave of City". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
- ^ Bommer, Lawrence (November 14, 1986). "An Evening with Elmore and Gwendolyn Putts". Chicago Reader, Vol 16, No. 8.