THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL

Cheekier than a pair of Daisy Dukes!

Area Premiere
November 6 – 22, 2009 

Music and Lyrics – David Nehls
Book – Betsy Kelso

Armadillo Acres is Florida’s most exclusive mobile home community.  But when a stripper on the run comes between an agoraphobic housewife and her tollbooth collector husband, the hurricane of laughter begins to brew.  Complete with a trashy Greek chorus of trailer park divas, this campy, caustic musical fable is rife with adultery, sleaze and murderous ex-boyfriends.  An infectious score, cheeky script, and some of the most roof-raising, girl-group singing since the Pointer Sisters all add up to a fabulous and fun night out!  (Contains adult language.)

Director / Choreographer – Steven Meerdink
Musical Director – Kevin Hansen

Light Designer – Grant Merges
Scenic / Costume Designer – Joshua Stevens
Sound Designer – Lucas Melchior
Rehearsal Accompanist – Emily Hanson
Stage Manager – Joyce Norman
Scenic Construction – Jay Schueller

Cast
Betty – Lori Maxwell
Linoleum – Jodi Tripp
Pickles – Christine Karki
Jeannie – Kim Kivens
Norbert – Thomas Karki
Pippi – Maria Stukey
Duke – Joseph Bombard

Musicians
Brian Gruidl (Bass)
Emily Hanson (Keyboard)
Darren Lucas (Guitar)
Paul David Stanko (Percussion)

“… the Minneapolis Musical Theatre throws a giddily full-throated production onto the stage of the Illusion Theater. One of the admirable things about MMT is the company’s historical, collective lack of shame … director-choreographer Steven Meerdink once again succeeds at getting his ensemble to work well past the standard-issue boundaries of propriety. Witness company regular Thomas Karki unashamedly rocking his beer gut in an olive, one-piece disco jumpsuit so godawful that it could resurrect Mr. Blackwell only to kill him again. Or a Greek chorus of Lori Maxwell, Jodi Tripp and Christine Karki shredding their vocal chords as they channel everything from scratching, beer-soaked strip-joint patrons to the Supremes to the Andrews Sisters. Or Joseph Bombard’s twitchy, manic turn as a marker-sniffing malcontent. Too, the show introduces local audiences to a bright young performer named Maria Stukey as the aforementioned stripper on the run. Almost wearing a variety of ecdysiast ensembles, Stukey finds a few nice touches of vulnerability, even as she wears her wild boots and her huge hair like badges of honor. And she displays an impressive pair of lungs as she leads the company in belting out the show’s gospel-flavored finale, which encourages us to ‘make like a nail and press on.’ Joshua Stevens’ ticky-tacky trailer-court set and outlandish costumes mark a high-water mark for MMT productions, and the on-stage four-piece, mullet-wearing band keeps things rockin’.” – St. Paul Pioneer Press

“South Park meets Desperate Housewives in this big-hearted new musical comedy.” – NY Sun