In 1921, vaudeville and silent film star Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle became the subject of a Hollywood scandal when he was arrested for the rape and death of a starlet named Virginia Rappe. As the world followed news of Arbuckle's trial and eventual acquittal, Rappe was largely overlooked and dismissed. This forgotten woman will be the focus of the School of Drama's final production, a musical called "The Fatty Arbuckle Spook House Revue," which runs Tuesday-Saturday, April 28-May 2 at the University Theatre, 222 York St.
The musical, written by playwright/composer Chris Jeffries '87, is "a fanciful retelling of this elemental, mythic story of an innocent entering the Hollywood wonderland and being devoured by it," says third-year drama school student Alison Narver, who is directing the show. "It is about the trappings of the entertainment industry and what makes it exotic and exciting -- what makes us love it."
Set in a circus-like wonderland, "The Fatty Arbuckle Spook House Revue" revolves around a little girl named Alice who "falls" into a bewildering maze and searches endlessly for Santa Clause while trying to become queen. On her way, she encounters "Alice-in-Wonderland"-type characters: Queen, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, Mad Hatter and March Hare. Rounding out this vaudevillian world are Alligator, Punch and Judy, the Moist Towelettes and a singing quartet.
The Drama School production marks the 10-year anniversary of collaborations between Narver and playwright/composer Chris Jeffries, who together produced the 1992 premiere of "The Fatty Arbuckle Spook House Revue." Narver is former artistic director of the Annex Theatre and was artistic director for the Yale Cabaret during its 1996-97 season. At the Cabaret, she directed "The Handwriting," "The Soup and the Hats" and "A Dose of Durang." She is a founding member of Regional Alternative Theater (RAT), a national theater consortium.
After graduating from Yale, Jeffries moved to Seattle, where he was an early member of Annex Theatre, a nonprofit arts collective which has produced the premieres of many of his musicals, including "I See London, I See France" and "The Glory Booty Club," which won a Garland Award from Back Stage West. His other productions include an adaptation of the best-selling children's book "Bunnicula," which he worked on with playwright Jon Klein and which has been produced at theaters across the country. He is also a participant in RAT.
"The Fatty Arbuckle Spook House Revue" features School of Drama acting students Tessa Auberjonoir, Paul Vincent Black, Brennan Brown, Chirs Coffey, Magaly Colimon, Daniel Cooney, Robert Devaney, Jon Ecklund, Joanna Glushak, Adrian LaTourelle, Amy Morse, Ronald Dean Nolen, Joey Parsons, Heather Robinson, Alicia Roper, Graham Sheils and Gregory Sobeck.
On the production team are scenic designer Adam Stockhausen, costume designer Paul Spadone III, lighting designer Marcus Doshi, sound designer Geoff Zink and production dramaturg Peter J. Novak.
Performances are at 8 p.m. nightly with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, May 2. Tickets are $12 on weekdays; $13 on weekends. Student tickets are $8 for all performances. Group discounts are available. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit the Yale Rep box office, corner of Chapel and York streets, or call 432-1234, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays and Saturdays.
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