This story was originally published by ArtsATL.
Hell hath no fury like the murderous third grader at the center of “Ruthless!,” onstage at Out Front Theatre through May 20.
Her name is Tina Denmark, and she’s more than a triple threat. She can act, sing and dance. And she wants to be famous so badly that she will literally kill anyone who stands in her way.
The show’s plot is a delicious, melodramatic mix of “The Bad Seed,” “All About Eve” and “Gypsy,” performed with scenery-chewing glee by an incredibly game cast of performers. It’s full of costume changes, exaggerated comedy, catty one-liners, good music, fourth wall-breaking moments and silly shocks. It’s wacky and ridiculous with touches of a great, late-night drag cabaret, and it works.
OutFront specializes in telling LGBTQ stories, and “Ruthless!,” written by Joel Paley and Marvin Laird, lands squarely in its wheelhouse by having the flavor of “Hairspray” and “Peyton Place” — stories of women who can’t decide whether it’s better to conform to or defy the conventions of polite society.
As directed by Out Front founder Paul Conroy, it aims to be a campy, farcical distraction from what’s going on in the real world, according to his director’s notes in the program. But it also contains a rich, entertaining, self-mocking and defiant survivor’s zeal — reminiscent of John Waters, Del Shores and Charles Busch — that we cannot afford to lose sight of as LGBTQ spaces and culture come under attack.
The world cannot lose shows like “Ruthless!” Without them, it would be a lot less interesting.
Within the show, blond, cherubic talent Tina, played by Max Walls and Kayla Furie on alternating days, is desperate to play Pippi Longstocking in her school musical, as directed by her teacher, Miss Thorn (Wendell Scott).
Tina’s song-and-dance performances at the local nursing home have attracted the attention of a cutthroat talent scout named Sylvia St. Croix (Blake Fountain), who tries to persuade Tina’s mother Judy (Anna Dvorak) to sign a contract and let Tina pursue show-biz.
But when Tina loses the plum Pippi part to classmate Louise (Courtney Locke), her violent, vindictive side emerges, leaving Judy unsure whether her daughter would be better off in juvenile detention than in the spotlight.
Other crazy twists and soapy turns make the trajectory of “Ruthless!” unpredictable, but the cast is clearly having a blast doing this show.
Walls, who played Tina during the performance attended for review, is a marvelous talent with a terrific voice and savage wit. Previously onstage in the terrific Jennie T. Anderson productions of “The Secret Garden” and “Caroline, or Change,” Walls gives Tina a blunt, hilarious mean streak that makes the audience root for the character, in spite of her murderous ways.
Dvorak is an amazing singer, as evidenced previously by her work in “The Pretty Pants Bandit” at Georgia Ensemble Theatre, yet her comedy chops here are remarkable. Playing Judy as a plastic, cheerfully dim housewife at first, she has impeccable comic timing, drawing laughs from elongated pauses, poses and gestures even during her opening song “Tina’s Mother,” where she answers dozens of phone calls and doorbells with the unperturbed delight of Barbara Billingsley in “Leave It to Beaver.”
Eventually, Dvorak gets an opportunity to play a wildly different, equally hilarious side to Judy, and it’s here that the depths of her talent and commitment to the work come into clear view. She is a special kind of performer, and Atlanta is lucky to have her.
One of the musical highlights of the show came whenever Dvorak and Walls would harmonize in duet.
As Sylvia, Fountain is frequently funny, given a recurring bit of stunning costume changes. (There must be at least a dozen. Kudos to designer Jay Reynolds and wig stylist George Deavours.) Fountain’s work also sets the anything-can-happen tone for the entire show, interacting with the audience, in on the joke, laughing at himself. It’s an engaging performance that ultimately makes the entire show work.
Gospel singer Latrice Pace, playing Tina’s drama critic grandmother, gets a powerhouse comedic solo near the end of act one called “I Hate Musicals,” and it’s an absolute blast.
Scott, whose work is mostly limited to the show’s first act, makes the best of his time onstage as the frustrated teacher. And Locke’s work as the terrible Louise and later as a dim, devious assistant named Eve is also funny.
Conroy’s direction and the choreography from Tyler Sarkis make excellent use of Out Front’s performance space, occasionally letting the show spill off the stage into the audience. The music direction from Alli Reinhardt and sound design from Brady Brown allow for songs to shine and the lyrics to be clear.
“Ruthless!” is a fun, wacky and worthwhile piece of entertainment.
THEATER REVIEW
“Ruthless!”
Through May 20. $25-$35. 999 Brady Ave. NW, Atlanta. 404-448-2755, outfronttheatre.com.
::
Benjamin Carr, a member of the American Theatre Critics Association, is an arts journalist and critic who has contributed to ArtsATL since 2019. His plays have been produced at The Vineyard Theatre in Manhattan as part of the Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival and at the Center for Puppetry Arts. His novel Impacted was published by The Story Plant in 2021.
Credit: ArtsATL
Credit: ArtsATL
MEET OUR PARTNER
ArtsATL (www.artsatl.org), is a nonprofit organization that plays a critical role in educating and informing audiences about metro Atlanta’s arts and culture. Founded in 2009, ArtsATL’s goal is to help build a sustainable arts community contributing to the economic and cultural health of the city.
If you have any questions about this partnership or others, please contact Senior Manager of Partnerships Nicole Williams at nicole.williams@ajc.com.
About the Author
