Must see this IMMEDIATELY –without the kids– and it closes this weekend: ROSEMARY’S BABY JESUS. It’s the Gold Dust Orphans’ annual Christmas musical spectacular! DESPITE the bawdy send up of Roman Polanski’s horror classic “Rosemary’s Baby” about a young married couple starring Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes as Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse whose neighbors turn out to be satan worshippers who then engineer Rosemary’s birthing of Beelzebub’s baby, and DESPITE this satire’s full frontal nudity, dirty jokes, ribald rhetorical flourishes, insanely funny costumes (back up singers dressed as trash cans, etc) cheap political jibes (fewer than usual, thank god–I’m exhausted), shameless puns and pop cultural references (“Diddy’s girl”), video mashups featuring everything from “The Wizard Of Oz” to Hitler, hilarious parodies of musical theater and pop tunes including “Blinded by the Dyke” about a lesbian blinded– not by the light but by a baguette(!)– the show is sweeter than usual.
Taryn Lane as Rosemary Shithouse/Photo: Michael von Redlich
There’s so much happening everywhere all at once at the Iron Wolf Theatre (located in the 3rd floor of the South Boston Lithuanian Citizens’ Association ) I didn’t know where to look first. At the non-stop chorus line of dancing rats? Or the dancing devil’s food cakes? Or the Burger King pasties? Or the huge, inflatable bouncing babies? Or doors, curtains, and flaps flying open, punctuated by perfectly timed sound effects, backup singers continually re-emerging and re-costumed within minutes to underscore every emotional beat of this demonic tale.
Corey Manteiga as Minnie Castavet /Photo: Michael von Redlich
The whole thing is reset in Salem’s “House of the Seven Gay Boys,” the cast led by two exceptional singer actors, Taryn Lane and Dustin Teuber as the indelicately monikered Guy and Rosemary Shithouse, who attempt to palm themselves off as born-again Christians, respectively straight and half Black, trans husband and virginal wife. Mad resident costume designer Scott Martino plays diabolical neighbor Mr. Castavet and as his wicked Mrs, a riotously funny Corey Manteiga does a crazy good send up of the movie’s Ruth Gordon. Powerhouse Tim Lawton plays Dr. Abraham Saperstein with vocals even bigger than he is!
The team behind the direction, musical numbers (Tad McKitterick, musical direction!!) voices, sets, soundscape, lighting, props, costumes, choreography– is one, big, well-oiled machine, helmed by director Kiki Samko spotted among the ensemble, and all of it springing from the fiendishly fecund imagination of founder, writer, artistic director Ryan Landry, whose green-faced Mrs. Grinchley appears year after year to inspire us not only with a capacious knowledge of the musical canon, but also with an infallibly upbeat, optimistic, feel-good vibe which ALWAYS trumps (forgive me) the lowbrow trappings of this truly heavenly annual theatrical undertaking. NOT for the squeamish but for everyone looking to let go, let live, laugh out loud, and get into the true spirit of the season. Oh– and for all you dog lovers–watch for Ryan’s pup Salvador Dolly, a pooch for the ages who is already a pro onstage! THANK YOU, AGAIN, RYAN!!!
ROSEMARY’S BABY JESUS ONLY THROUGH this weekend December 22!
At Iron Wolf Theatre located in the South Boston Lithuanian Citizens’ Association, 368 West Broadway, Third Floor, South Boston, MA 02127
