Review: 'Disaster!' at Connecticut Repertory Theatre

Pictured above: Maggie McDowell as Sister Mary Downy in DISASTER! onstage at Connecticut Repertory Theatre through June 16, 2018. Info at crt.uconn.edu. Photo by Gerry Goodstein.

Storrs, CT - DISASTER! is a musical straight from Broadway set in 1979 that features earthquakes, tidal waves, and infernos in an homage to/parody of just about every disaster movie ever made. The mayhem is laced with a slew of unforgettable 70s hits like “Knock On Wood,” “Hooked On A Feeling,” “Sky High,” “I Am Woman” and “Hot Stuff.” The musical was created by the ‘amaahzing’ Seth Rudetsky, the SiriusXM Broadway host and three-time Emmy nominee, and he starred in it when it ran on Broadway, when it was called “The funniest show in town.”

The humble beginnings of Disaster! go back to 1992 when Seth Rudetsky and Drew Geraci developed the concept of creating a musical based upon the 70s disaster films, a genre they both appreciated. The original storyline involved the blackout in NYC in 1977 with the decade’s top songs. The concept was revisited in 2011 when Mr. Rudetsky was asked to put on a show benefiting the nonprofit organization Only Make Believe.
He and Jack Plotnick quickly revised the concept and wrote the first script of DISASTER!. The major change was the decision to introduce a wide variety of catastrophes common in the popular disaster films of their youth. The benefit show impressed the critics and the journey began to Off-off Broadway, Off Broadway and finally Broadway with an all-star cast that included Mr. Rudetsky and what he has described on the radio as many of his friends.

In a probably cracked nutshell, a group of New Yorkers attends the opening of a floating casino and disco that has been guilt on a faultline and quickly succumbs to multiple disasters There is a plot in which several characters' interact on the opening night, as various plot elements reminiscent of 1970s disaster cult films like 'The Poseidon Adventure' and 'Airport 1975' are thrown at them. It is all very silly and the laughs never stop, even at the grimmest moments, and I had fun anticipating how the next hit from the 70s would be set up. Some of the jokes were set up well in advance and it was all very cleverly written.

Seth Rudetsky reprises his role of Ted Schneider, a professor and "disaster expert" who tries to warn the others of the impending doom. His entrance drew applause from the opening night audience who appreciated the fact that he had traveled to Connecticut to appear in this production of his show. Of course this talented musician can sing and he obviously knew how he wanted this character that he wrote to be performed. What I loved was his broad comedy and with lots of exits and entrances through the audience, he made it all feel very up close and personal for his many fans like me. Not surprisingly, the acclaimed pit conductor generously encouraged the audience to recognize the wonderful musicians seated behind the set at the curtain call.

Broadway’s Angie Schworer made her CRT debut as the lounge singer/mother Jackie Noelle. She made her debut in THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES, and recent B’way credits include SOMETHING ROTTEN, BIG FISH, YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN and CATCH ME IF YOU CAN.

Maggie McDowell, who was a member of the original Broadway and Off Broadway cast of DISASTER!, was adorable and a riot in the role of Sister Mary Downey, a nun with a gambling addiction. Ms. McDowell is a Wethersfield, CT native and enjoyed working on a stage so close to her hometown; her husband sat in the row in front of me on opening night to cheer her on.
Anne L. Nathan, who appeared in IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU and ONCE a many more shows on Broadway, made the Shelley Winters role of Shirley her own. Griffin Binnicker, a rising senior at the University of Michigan in his CRT debut, adored Shirley as her husband Maury.

Leanne Antonio, another rising senior at U of M making her CRT debut, gave a wonderful performance as the washed up singer who retains her big voice Levora Verona. Ben Jackson Walker, a recent graduate of U of M with a degree in Musical Theatre, did very well in the role of Chad.

Simon Longnight (1776, NEWSIES at CRT) played Scott. Nick Nudler, a recent UConn graduate, was crooked owner of the casino Tony. Alyah Scott, who will return to U of M in the fall, played the lovely reporter Marianne who is the ex-fiance of Chad.

Shout outs to the two Western CT State University students in the ensemble, Sasha Renae Brown and Michael Katz. Also in the high energy ensemble were Spencer LaRue and Hayden Elizabeth Price.

One young performer played the dual role of twins Ben and Lisa. Sana ‘Prince’ Sarr has appeared at Yale Repertory and in A CHRISTMAS CAROL at Hartford Stage, and her was equally charming as the daughter and son of Jackie.

Mary Ann Lamb choreographed the numerous and eighties inspired dance numbers. Scenic design by Tim Brown totally fit the period, as did the loud and sparkly costume design by Fan Zhang. Kudos to director Jack Plotnick for keeping up the frenetic pace and technical director John Parmelee for suggesting all of the onstage disasters without any real disasters.

DISASTER! is onstage thru June 16, 2018

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local theatre venues. She posts reviews of well over 100 productions each year. In 2016, she became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle. She continues to contribute theatre news, previews, and audition notices to local Patch sites. Reviews of all levels of theatrical productions are posted on Naugatuck Patch and the Patch sites closest to the venue. Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and on Twitter @nancysjanis417