DTW’s GILLIGAN’S ISLAND THE MUSICAL IS A BOATLOAD OF SILLY FUN
by Audrey Liebross
Desert Theatreworks (DTW) has a winner in Gilligan’s Island The Musical. The premise (just as in the original TV series upon which it is based) is all wet, but it has top-notch singing, dancing, direction, and visual appeal. Dad jokes and other goofiness help float the show’s boat and, along with visual humor, provide a lot of laughs.
The premise of both the sitcom (which ran for three seasons during the mid-sixties) and the musical is that the Minnow, a small boat, sets sail for a three-hour tour somewhere near Hawaii. A shipwreck after an unexpected storm lands them on what is supposedly a desert island, but it is too lush to really be a desert. (I can’t believe I’m fact-checking Gilligan’s Island; what should I analyze next: How to Train Your Dragon?) The skipper (Charles Harvey) and his young, goofball first officer, Gilligan (the multi-talented Anthony Nannini, with the help of the brilliant professor (Kam Sisco) who was one of the boat’s passengers, have to figure out how to get everyone rescued. The other passengers are the uber-rich Thurston and Lovey Howell (professional voice announcer Stan Jenson and Olga Morales); movie star Ginger (Kim Schroeder Long, a member of Equity); and the wholesome Mary Anne (former professional Mexican television professional Geo Medina). Meanwhile, there is plenty to eat and drink, the weather is great (mostly), and everyone seems to get along. The only problem is that the highly suggestible Gilligan insists he has met a trio of extraterrestrials, or perhaps one with three faces (Jeremiah Garcia-Woods, Jessica Schuler, and professional opera singer Tamra Harkley), who warned him that they plan to destroy the Earth if people do not change their ways.
Getting the musical to the stage was a family affair. Sherwood Schwartz, who created the TV show, wrote the musical’s book with his son Lloyd Schwartz. Hope and Laurence Juber (Sherwood’s daughter and son-in-law) wrote the music and lyrics. The music is surprisingly sophisticated, from a complex overture, with classical style variations on the television show’s theme song and harmonies reminiscent of the sea, to lovely ballads.
Faithful fans of the TV show, of whom I admit I was one, thanks to my crush on the professor, know that the theme song changed slightly after the first season. Originally, the song referred to the professor and Mary Anne as “the rest,” instead of referring to them by name. The second and third season version added their names to the song. The musical invokes the disparity as a joke multiple times.
The cast is a mix of top-notch DTW veterans and relative newcomers. They are all capable comic actors, as well as singers with lovely voices. The hardest part of any community theatre musical is, in my experience, the dancing, but choreographer Stacy Casaluci-Grenrock has a firm handle on who can be tasked with complex dancing. She assigns them the difficult solos, while showcasing the rest of the company through intricate floor patterns that look impressive from the audience, but are not insanely difficult to execute for a non-professional dancer.
Director Michael Pacas has a great sense of pacing, and the show moved along at the right rhythm when I saw it, even though it was opening night. Michael also coaxes earnest performances from everyone, which is essential for a show with a ludicrous premise; not one of these actors committed the sin of making fun of their material. I do not know if Michael was the one responsible for the decision to replace the single alien with a musical trio that takes on the role of an ensemble, but the trio very much enhanced the music and the visual appeal.
There is a significant amount of clever puppetry. Some of the puppets are humans with complicated costumes, as in The Lion King. One of my favorites is the trio member with an additional face on each hand. In fact, the trio wore some of the most imaginative costumes I’ve seen in a long time. I really liked the trio members’ plant costumes (designed by Lance Phillips), complete with grass skirts and green hair. My only displeasure with the trio’s costuming was that I thought the exaggerated native face masks were both terrifying and cringeworthy, especially on Black performers, as is each member of the trio.
The other noteworthy costumes were those that belong to the uber-rich Howells. Thurston Howell’s colorful get-ups were especially imaginative. My Coachella Valley Theatre World colleague Stan Jenson, who plays Thurston, told me that many came straight out of his own closet. (I did not ask him if he had bought them as costumes, or if he wore them for everyday purposes; if the latter, I’m sure he attracted lots of attention on the street for their cut and color).
The simple set, designed by Matthew McLean, is attractive and effective. Recent musicals at DTW have taken advantage of a partially obscured stage left platform for imaginative actions that could not take place out in the open. Gilligan’s Island is no different. Don’t miss the hilarity that ensues when there is action on the platform, or in the covered cut-outs above it.
One of the ingenious aspects of the set is a decorated, sliding panel located at the approximate midpoint from upstage to downstage. The panel opens to reveal more of the scenery including the all-important cave hieroglyphics; some of the other action takes place there as well. I adored the idol-like statue (think Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland). Don’t take your eyes off the idol’s eyes — you won’t turn into a skeleton, unlike at Disneyland, and you’ll see some brief special effects that you might miss if you look away. I still haven’t quite figured out how they make the idol’s effects work — I would have loved to inspect the statue’s left eye to figure it out. But, alas, I’m still in the dark.
Usually, I say, “Shakespeare it ain’t” for a silly show, but this one actually manages to bring the Bard in when Ginger quotes a Shakespeare play in which she has appeared. With cornball antics like these, Gilligan’s Island The Musical is one of those shows that could go very wrong in the hands of a less able director and choreographer, and with performers less able than these. Fortunately, DTW has the depth to succeed with this complex show.
Even my sister, who, like Mikey in the Gilligan-era Life Cereal commercial, doesn’t usually like anything, enjoyed this production. I wouldn’t be surprised if this highly entertaining show sells out. So get your tickets early, and have fun, as I did.
Gilligan’s Island the Musical will run through Sunday, January 28, 2024, on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, at 7:30 p.m.; and on Sundays at 2:00 p.m. Check the ticket purchase information at www.dtworks.org for prices or call (760) 980-1455. All performances take place at the Indio Performing Arts Center, 45175 Fargo Street, Indio, CA 92201.
Photos by: Tara Howard Photography
The rest of the 2023-24 season consists of:
Neil Simon's Plaza Suite (Feb. 2-25, 2024) You simply cannot miss the DTW annual production by legendary playwright and four-time Tony winner Neil Simon. Two actors play three different couples in one famous hotel room and the comedy ensues…
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (March 1-24, 2024) For six years, BEAUTIFUL, the Tony and Grammy Award-winning Carole King musical, thrilled Broadway audiences with the inspiring true story of Carol King’s remarkable journey from teenage songwriter to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Featuring over two dozen pop classics, including “You’ve Got a Friend,” “One Fine Day,” “Up on the Roof,” “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” and Natural Woman,” this international phenomenon is filled with the songs you remember.
Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird (April 12-28, 2024) Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Harper Lee, the play tells the well-known story from the book and motion picture.