Surflight’s ‘Disaster’ Has a Big Laugh Every Minute

Jul 21, 2023

By Rick Mellerup | on August 30, 2023

KEEP IT GROOVY: As shown above by the cast’s groovadelic wardrobe, Surflight’s production of ‘Disaster’ is so ’70s, with a story inspired by the feminist movement of the time. (Photo by John Posada)

I was worried that “Disaster,” Surflight Theatres current mainstage offering, would be a disaster.

The show, which hit Broadway in 2016, is a comedic spoof on the disaster movies of the 1970s, following the format set by the 1980 film parody “Airplane.” But book writers Seth Rudetsky, a Surflight alumnus, and Jack Plotnick weren’t content with goofing on just one movie, like “Airplane” had done with “Airport.” They loaded up a veritable Golden Corral buffet of disasters including an earthquake, a tidal wave, explosions, fires, sharks, piranhas, swarms of rats, snakes, improbable impalement and, shades of “Poseidon Adventure,” a capsized ship. For sure, I figured there would be plenty of fast-paced sight gags.

But it was also decided to make a “Disaster” a jukebox musical, featuring pop songs from the decade. As a confirmed fan of rock I dreaded hearing a string of pop and disco hits. And although I have seen jukebox musicals work when the music was confined to the artist featured in biography-based shows, I have often found the inclusion of some hit songs in general jukebox musicals being quite the stretch.

Well, the first act of “Disaster” didn’t offer a steady steam of catastrophes. Instead it introduced the show’s cast, which was kind of a waste of time because they were more caricatures than characters.

“Disaster” is set in 1979 Manhattan during the opening night of the Barracuda, the first floating casino and discotheque in New York. Chad (Danny Crowe) is looking for female company (“Hot Stuff”) and decides to join his best buddy Scott (Noah Lyon) as a waiter on the boat. The grand opening has also attracted Professor Ted Scheider (Tim Steiner), a world famous specialist regarding disasters, who is convinced the ship’s pier was built on a fault line. A reporter, Marianne (Gabriela Moncivais), also is expecting bad things to happen because she has heard rumors that the ship’s owner, Tony (Mike Brennan), had run out of money while constructing his floating pleasure palace so had cut safety corners.

Other folks boarding the ship include Maury and Shirley Summers (Michael McAssey and Margaret Shafer), a couple celebrating Maury’s retirement; dour Sister Mary Downey (Alison Nusbaum), who is collecting money for orphans and is warning customers about the evils of gambling; Levora (Dwan Hayes), a washed-up disco star who hopes to win back a fortune on the ship’s slot machines; Jackie (Larissa Klinger), a lounge singer performing on the Barracuda who is hoping Tony will ask her to marry him; and Jackie’s 11-year-old twins Ben and Lisa (both played by Mark James).

So, Marianne and Chad run into each other. She had left him at the altar years ago. She feels guilty, but Chad feigns nonchalance before running off to the bathroom to cry. Marianne still has a thing for him as well and is upset when he seems totally over her.

Meanwhile, it turns out that Sister Mary Downey has a gambling addiction and is trying – eventually unsuccessfully – to stay away from the slots. As I already said, the characters are caricatures so there was no great acting because, after all, caricature doesn’t demand it. I was getting bored.

However, I must say the flow from conversation to the jukebox songs was well constructed. Marianne, for example, is dealing with the emerging feminist movement of the 1970s, deciding if she’d rather have a career or get married – hopefully to Chad – and have a family. So she sings the Helen Reddy hit “I Am Woman” which proclaims strength and independence before sliding into Carly Simon’s “That’s the Way I Always Heard It Should Be,” which says, “Well okay, it’s time we moved in together and raised a family of our own, you and me.” Excellent song selection, as is Sister Mary Downey’s singing “Never Can Say Goodbye” to a slot machine or when Shirley and Maury tell Marianne that marriage can be rough, but they still love each other dearly by singing “Still the One.” So, I had gotten over my concern about the show’s songs, but I kept waiting for some action.

I shouldn’t have worried. Act II is a slapstick laugh fest. It is amazing what can be done with a basket full of cheap props, a super-fast pace and more gags than an early “Saturday Night Live” show.

Some highlights include the performance of James as Ben and Lisa. Surflight regulars may remember him as Pugsley in last year’s “The Adams Family.” He stepped it up even more this year, turning in a low-key but delightful dual portrayal. This kid has a brilliant future ahead of him playing comedic parts. An especially guffaw-inducing scene was Steiner’s Professor Scheider performing a hilarious Nadia Comaneci impression as he had to transverse a narrow beam suspended over a pit of snakes. He had, you see, once witnessed a disaster in Romania. Oh yeah, there were many comedic references to the events of the 1970s.

Great theater? No. Fun? Yes.

I only have one complaint other than the somewhat slow pace of Act I. I already mentioned “SNL,” which, if you remember, debuted in 1975. So why in a show filled with sharks, piranhas, rats and snakes wasn’t the most devious, sneaky and deadly animal in the 1970s featured? I’m talking about the Land Shark! Then again, the action in Act II was so frenetic I may have missed him.

“Disaster” will run through Sept. 3. Visit the theater’s website at surflight.com to find exact dates and times and to purchase tickets, which are $43 for adults and $33 for children 12 years of age and younger. They may also be purchased at the Beach Haven box office.

Just be sure to give yourself plenty of time to get to the theater. It doesn’t take a Professor Scheider to predict an every year nightmare, the heavy traffic to and on LBI over the Labor Day weekend.

— Rick Mellerup

You must be logged in to post a comment.