November 17-21, 2009
Walt Disney Modular Theater
California Institute of the Arts (CalArts)
Written and Directed by ROBERT CUCUZZA
Inspired by the 1941 film “Hellzapoppin’”
With
SAM BREEN as Ole Olsen
CHRISTOPHER RIVAS as Chic Johnson
CHRISTOPHER HAMPTON as Jeff Hunter
JENNY GREER as Kitty Rand
DANA GOURRIER as Betty Johnson
BRENDAN McGOWEN as Harry Selby
BRIAN TICHNELL as Prince Pepi Popov
EVAN HYDE as Kane
And the Shape Shifters:
ALLY CALDICOTT-LEVITT
WARREN SAINT GEORGE II
JEREMY KINSER
CHELSEA DIDIER
STEPHANIE REGINA
WHITNEY RODRIGUEZ
JUSTIN MONTALVO
ETHAN McMURRAY
Scenic Designer: SOL SONG
Costume Designer: ARIEL BOROFF
Lighting Designer: R. CHRISTOPHER STOKES
Sound Designers: LOREN ESPOSITO/ROBERT CUCUZZA
Musical Director: LAURA KAY SWANSON
Puppetry Designer: CHASE WOOLNER
Production Manager: SARAH E. PETERSON
Stage Manager: HECTOR MACHADO
Producer: JACKIE BANKS-MAHLUM
“Cherry Pop”, “Stop the Clock” and “Like the End”
Lyrics by Robert Cucuzza
Inspired by the 1941 film of the same name and the story behind its creation, HELLZAPOPPIN' throws real-life vaudeville superstars Olsen and Johnson into Tinseltown to turn their hit stage show into their first motion picture. Dropped unceremoniously into the intense eye of the film production storm, they realize that their successful brand of audience-driven chaos has no value in this artificial world. Their ideas are plundered, their routines are met with silence, their personas are reconfigured and their friendship is put to the test. Severely disoriented, Olsen and Johnson fight to hold on to their life's blood—the connection to their audience and, most importantly, to each other.