Hellzapoppin' 

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 Designer: Loren Esposito/Robert Cucuzza

Musical Director: Laura Kay Swanson

Puppet Designer: Chase Woolner

Production Manager: Sarah E. Peterson

Stage Manager: Hector Machado

Producer: Jackie Banks-Mahlum

 

“Cherry Pop”

“Stop the Clock”
“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.