Issue #37
February 28, 2005
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Arts Stage vs Screen (2) by David Katz It is always a challenge to translate from one medium to another. Translating a Broadway play into a movie is difficult; translating a movie into a stage play is even harder. Mel Brooks managed it magnificently in The Producers (Stage vs Screen, July 2002). Surprisingly, the stage musical version of Debbie Does Dallas works just fine.
Debbie Does Dallas, the movie, is a porn classic notable (like several other classics from the same era) for not taking itself too seriously. The film's plot (yes, some porn flicks do have a plot) revolves around the efforts of Debbie and her high school cheerleader friends to raise the funds to send Debbie to Dallas, where she has been accepted as one of the famed Dallas cheerleaders. They soon discover that minimum wage jobs won't cut it, but that other services attractive young girls can provide (within limits - after all, as Debbie insists, "we're all good girls") can be far more lucrative.
The essence of the film, of course, is the on-screen sex, but what makes it a classic is the humor and the weird kind of innocence that pervades the production. One gets the feeling that no women were injured in the making of this movie.
The musical preserves this sense of innocence. The peppiness and good spirits of the high school cheerleaders and their football team boyfriends is displayed in song and dance. The tunes are melodic and pleasant (if not outstandingly memorable) and the choreography is skillful, making good use of a small stage to showcase the dancing talents of the cast. The composer was Andrew Sherman, assisted by Tom Hitt and Jonathan Callicutt. The choreographer was Jennifer Cody.
Those scenes that were hard-core sex in the movie were finessed brilliantly on stage. (Not only is there no real sex on stage, there isn't even any nudity.) The mock sex was raunchy but funny, and would not be offensive to any but prudes, although a sensitive audience member might squirm at times. The audience the night I attended was at least half women, of all ages, and the women seemed to be laughing as hard (though sometimes at different times) as the men.
Some subplots were added to the play to beef up a rather thin movie plot, but over all, the play was faithful to the movie. The excellent actresses (Jamie Day as Debbie, Mary Katherine Garrison as the sexually voracious Lisa, Jama Williamson as Roberta, Caitlin Miller as Tammy, and Tricia Paoluccio as Donna) were well cast. The actors (Dell Pentacost, Jeff Skowron, and John Patrick Walker) each played multiple roles ably.
Erica Scmidt did the adaptation, and directed the production.
Debbie Does Dallas runs through mid-March at the Jane Street Theater.
Debbie Does Dallas - Jane Street Theater, 113 Jane Street (Betw. West Side Highway and Washington Street). For Tickets, use Teletron.com
New York Stringer is published by NYStringer.com. For all communications, contact David Katz, Editor and Publisher, at david@nystringer.com
All content copyright 2005 by nystringer.com
Click on underlined bylines for the author’s home page.