Building a reputation on musical melodramas, Gaslight Theatre is continuing that mission with “Spider-Guy.”
Last produced in 2017, “Spider-Guy” hits the stage from Thursday, June 6, to Sunday, Aug. 25.
Heather Stricker, general manager, booking and PR for Gaslight, said like other summer offerings, “Spider-Guy” was designed to be family friendly.
Actor Jake Chapman will be reprising the role of Billy Baker/Spider-Guy for the third time. Stricker said Chapman enjoys the role.
“Every time someone asks him his favorite role, he always says Spider-Guy,” Stricker said.
In the show, he does tricks such as flying over the stage and hanging upside down.
There is one scene where the stage is sideways, so it appears that the characters are climbing a building.
“In real life, they’re standing upright, but the building is on its side,” Stricker said.
“It looks like they’re climbing a building, and they’re holding onto these ropes. Of course, they take a moment to sing a song, and it’s ‘Hang on Spidey,’ which I think the original song is ‘Hang on Sloopy.’ We’ve of course changed the words. But the choreography is all climbing these ropes. Someone falls. Someone catches somebody and climbs up, all within the song.”
Stricker said as with other shows, they do a type of stunt fighting where the actors don’t have actual physical contact.
“We do things in the air in front of a person that makes it look like we actually hit someone, and then we add our sound effects,” Stricker said.
In the show, Stricker portrays Russian spy named Velma Vultura, the assistant to businessman Mathias Maxwell, who turns into the main villain the Green Gremlin. He is trying to create his own army of super villains.
Another villain in the show is a science teacher who is turned into a half-man/half-crocodile hybrid.
“The costumes are, of course, hilarious and colorful, exactly what you would want to see for a comic book show,” Stricker said.
The show features technological props, such as explosive remote controls and a flying apparatus on which the Green Gremlin stands.
Recently, Mike Yarema and Katherine Byrnes took over as co-directors of Gaslight. Stricker said they are finding a way to bring new ideas to the company while keeping important traditions.
“I just think they are finding a way to keep the special things that have always been and always will be the Gaslight Theatre while putting a new spin on it,” Stricker said.
“When they are working with a script that was written by somebody else, they really try to do the courtesy of not changing it too much. Most of the changes are to tighten up the show time-wise or switch out songs to more recognizable tunes today. They do very basic little cleanups here and there, based on who is our cast, how much time do we have, what’s our set change situation, but for the most part, they like to try to keep true to the original script and the original writer as a courtesy.”
Stricker said the most recent version of “Spider-Guy” has new songs. The music ranges in style and includes doo-wop and 1950s girl group tunes.
Music often accompanies major moments, such as when Billy Baker/Spider-Guy and his love interest Mary Lou Peterson kiss for the first time.
After each performance, cast members perform olios, or short vaudeville-style song and dance numbers. For “Spider-Guy,” the olio will be themed around the “You’ve Got Talent” competition.
“That’s the fun part is you see the same actors you just watched for an hour and a half again as one or two different characters, completely different from what they did in the show. I get to play I call her ‘Bad Annie.’ It’s basically a woman who’s been playing Annie for the last three decades of her life, and that’s all she does. She is over it, and she’s exhausted. She comes in with her wig askew, makeup smeared, maybe a little drunk, with a cigarette in her hands, still singing, ‘The sun will come out tomorrow…’ We’ll have a few new numbers in that, some fun audience favorites. We’ve got our cheerleader duo that is very popular. Jacob Brown does a really funny “Kung Fu Fighting” number. It’s basically one silly act after another,” Stricker said.
The audience votes on the winner, so the outcome could change each night.
Along with its summer melodrama, the Gaslight also has Monday night concerts and special programming throughout the summer months.
This includes a “Return to Woodstock” concert featuring the Tributaries on June 10; Down on the Corner, The Best of CCR on June 17 and “Presto! Magic, Comedy & Illusions” on June 24.
Stricker said Gaslight regulars have an overall appreciation for music and attend different concerts.
“We have some people who come to every single concert, regardless of the genre of music. They just love live music. They don’t care if it’s country, metal or vintage Sinatra,” Stricker said.
Gaslight Theatre’s Production of “Spider-Guy”
Thursday, June 6, to Sunday, Aug. 25.
Monday Night Concerts and Special Events
June 10, June 17 and June 24
WHERE: Gaslight Theatre, 7010 E. Broadway Boulevard, Tucson
PRICE: $27 for adults, $15 for children 2 to 12, $25 for seniors, military and students
INFO: 520-886-9428, thegaslightheatre.com
