Doctuh Mistuh has never shied away from the audacious. They’ve presented musicals such as “Silence!”, the Silence of the Lambs Musical, “Reefer Madness: The Musical”, and “Evil Dead: The Musical”, but perhaps none of those has reached the level of audacity of their latest. With “Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical”, Doctuh Mistuh plumbs levels of boldness unmatched in town, by bringing the Off-Broadway musical of the infamous 70s porn to Austin audiences. The result is a campy, sassy, but slight, experience, full of plenty of hilarious moments and over-the-top characters to keep both the deviants and the innocents satisfied.
If I was to say “this production of “Debbie Does Dallas: the Musical” lacks depth”, I would perhaps be laughed out of the industry, and yet, I can’t help but express the sentiment. Even in productions of Doctuh Mistuh’s most frivolous and light musicals, such as “Silence!” or “Reefer Madness”, there was still a compelling narrative, a through line and development that kept you attached to the action. “Debbie Does Dallas” on the other hand often feels like it’s just going through the motion, stringing along just enough of a threadbare narrative to hang double entendres and awkward pseudo-sex scenes on. This isn’t to say the play it not full of notable moments, as the play is stuffed with wonderful morsels of humor, especially anytime two of the cheerleaders partake in their “Stretches”. One just wishes that there could have been something more to hold on to, a more thorough storyline to keep you interested when the constant humor and awkwardness gets tiring.
One department in which Doctuh Mistuh always succeeds is with its performers, and in this “Debbie Does Dallas” does not disappoint. Each actress provides the pluck and passion to make their part sing, as they each provide a confidence surprising for their age. They don’t shy away from any of the sexier moments, able to exude cheeky sensuality to create some notable cheesecake. Though there’s actually very little singing in the show, those few moments where there does come a moment to sing, the ensemble does not shy away from showing off their skills. The men join them in equal measure, each showing off a gift for humor and physicality, the play demanding a lot of these young actors. That each actor in the piece has the confidence and composure to take part in the lunacy and ribaldry is a testament to just how much talent they bring to the table, and to the skill director Michael McKelvey has in guiding them on their way.
“Debbie Does Dallas” is far from Doctuh Mistuh’s best production, especially since both director Michael McKelvey and Doctuh Mistuh have produced several amazing works throughout 2015, but it’s still a musical well worth your time. It’s full of plenty of ribald humor to keep audience’s in stitches, even if other moments can get a tad to awkward or loose. It’s light, it’s fun, and it’s campy as heck, and an entertaining way to spend an evening.
Photo Courtesy of Doctuh Mistuh Productions
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