Review: THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL is a Trailer Trash Treat!

The Great American Trailer Park Musical at The Boom is a dinner theatre experience that is not to be missed. The residents of Florida trailer park Armadillo Acres are down to earth and over the top, and they've got a wild tale to share. Written by David Nehls and Betsy Kelso, Trailer Park offers an uproarious commentary on what life is like on "This side of the tracks". When Agoraphobic Jeannie's husband buys her tickets to the Ice Capades for their twentieth anniversary, Jeannie sets out to make it off the front porch and out with her husband, Norbert. But things soon get complicated for Jeannie and the other tenants of Armadillo Acres. An exotic dancer blows into town, striking up a sudden romance with Norbert and upheaving the entire community.

Trailer Park is narrated by three glamorous, classy ladies- Lin (short for Linoleum), Betty, and Pickles. Megan Montgomery is Lin, Kristin Küns is Pickles, and Carmen Deveraux is Betty. Deveraux is one of The Boom's resident Drag Queens, and she's a lady through and through! Montgomery is sassy and sharp as Lin, a tough Prisoner's wife who's just trying to keep the "spark" in her marriage alive. Montgomery and Deveraux are the brains of the operation, while Küns, bless her heart, is the loveable yet dumb one. The three are quick-witted and comical, keeping the audience laughing even when the sound system malfunctions early in Act I. Küns is bold and brave as the hysterically pregnant Pickles, a seventeen-year-old with babies on the brain, if not so much in the womb.

Erin Heatly is brilliant as the Agoraphobic housewife Jeannie, and she's perhaps the smartest of the bunch. Afraid to leave her home, Heatly spends the majority of the show popping up behind a window and observing life from the safety of the trailer. Tyler Clark is her husband Norbert, a good ole boy who gets caught up in a whirlwind affair. Clark is heartfelt and fearless as Norbert. His love for Heatly is strong, but his disposition is weak. He's clearly suffered along with his wife as she struggles to leave the trailer.

Laura Renfro is the exotic dancer Pippi. She's on the run from an ex-boyfriend, and her presence disrupts the trailer park as she steals hearts and wrecks homes. Renfro is unapologetically perfect, a woman who can take care of herself and does what she can to survive. Her romance with Norbert is hard to empathize with, but it's sympathetic at least. She truly does have a heart of gold, proving to be resilient in the wake of a lifetime of struggles.

Joshua McGowen completes the cast as Duke, Pippi's ex who sets out to get her back. McGowen is unabashed and heroic, stopping at nothing to get to his woman. Driving from Oklahoma City to Florida to seek out Pippi, Duke has a run-in or two with wildlife on the road. This moment is McGowen's time to shine, and he's perfectly Country-Hickish as the love sick, marker sniffing Okie.

It's rare to see such a large-scale musical on The Boom's small stage. Smart direction by Kara Chapman has elevated the small, comfy space to easily fit this vigorous musical. The vocals are quite complex and the harmonizing sounds lovely, a feat for such an intimate setting. This cast works hard to create a fun, satirical show that actually has a heart and a genuinely funny side. The Boom makes trailer park living Great Again!

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The Great American Trailer Park Musical runs Fridays and Saturdays until March 14th, 2020 at The Boom, 2218 NW 39th St, OKC, OK 73112. For tickets, visit ticketstorm.com.

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