There's never a lack of raw material to fuel the fun. But this year is especially bountiful.
The Clandestine Committee, responsible for writing the biennial musical production known as Gridiron -- which opened Tuesday at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre -- must have been rewriting up to curtain time to keep up as their prominent targets seemed determined to outrun parody.
Produced by Pulaski County Circuit Judge Mary Spencer McGowan, the pedal-to-the-metal 90-minute show offers a cast of 75, rollicking with vindictive glee to a Russian theme designed around the conceit of Parade of Dunces, complete with floats and play-by-play coverage by hilarious Hoda Kotb (Marie-B Miller) and Kathie Lee Gifford (Beth McAlpine).
Among the hardest hit of the victims: President Donald Trump's press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders singing "Stand By This Man" (Janis Kovalscik), former gubernatorial gun-slinging candidate Jan Morgan (Ginny Becton), a hugely pregnant Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge (Treeca Cotton, in fuzzy elephant slippers), and Gov. Asa Hutchinson (Perry Young), cleverly skewered to the tune of "Alexander Hamilton" from the musical Hamilton.
Several characters emerge as victorious despite being set up for ridicule, especially Judy Trice as resilient House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Kathryn Pryor as the doggedly defiant Statue of Liberty, an arrogantly shirtless Russian President Vladimir Putin (Drew Jansen), and bewigged Craig Wilson, creepily convincing as Donald Trump.
There's so much going on during every minute of the many lyric-laden musical numbers (featuring multiple performers) that it's sometimes difficult to keep up. A detailed program outlining each song helps, but the need to study it takes viewers' eyes away from the antics onstage, which means missing a fine display of physical comedy.
Gridiron continues through Saturday at the Rep, 601 Main St., Little Rock. For tickets visit therep.org.
Metro on 08/01/2018