TINY LITTLE TOWN, a new musical is presented by Theatre Movement Bazaar. Book by Richard Alger and Tina Kronis. Lyrics by Richard Alger. Music composition by Wes Myers. Adapted from The Inspector General By Nikolai Gogol. Direction and Choreography by Tina Kronis. Produced by Theatre Movement Bazaar. Associate Producer Justin Okin.
Major Rasmussen (Kasper Svendsen) has a tiny little problem. A General Inspector has been sent from Washington to audit the city and its officials. Will the Inspector find out about the rampant corruption going on in this American tiny little town? After all, it’s the 70. Yes, the same period of the Watergate scandal during Nixon’s presidency. Major Rasmussen has also taken a few bribes here and there, and now he needs to find a way to cover up his corruption and that of his city officials.
With little time to clean up his record, the Major has no other choice but to do what he does best: Bribe. The only problem is that he ends up bribing the wrong person. As the story unfolds, the city officials and some of the citizens are duped into the trickeries of Konner (Nikhil Pai), the mysterious visitor they take as the Inspector. With a Rico Suave swagger, Konner even manages to impress Anna Rasmussen (Paula Rebelo, Do You Feel Anger), the Major’s wife, and Maria Rasmussen (Ishika Muchhal), the Major’s daughter. As a captivating subplot, Konner’s assistant, Joseph (Nick Apostolina), and Rasmussen’s secretary, Jackie (Prisca Kim), start to develop a romantic relationship in the middle of all the chaos. Due to their shenanigans, the citizens and officials of this town will be forced to face the consequences of their actions, creating the situations that make this play a timeless study of crooked characters with a comedic bent.
The play is a musical that uses physical comedy to keep the action fast-paced and interesting. The direction and choreography by Tina Kronis is a phenomenal display of craftsmanship. The musical numbers are highly kinetic, combining music and comedy perfectly. The commedia dell’arte style in the performances, the set design, and the Eastern European music, make it feel like a topsy-turvy dream, an exaggerated and alluring image of our reality. And that’s the beauty of physical theatre; it’s an artistic and deviant vision of the world around us.
Theatre Movement Bazaar achieves an outstanding theatrical version of the satirical play written by Nikolai Gogol in 1836. One of the many great elements of this staging is the casting. Actors that can sing, dance, and deliver excellent comedy at the same time are not easy to find. Richard Alger and Tina Kronis have put together an extraordinary production that will be a successful hit without a doubt. It’s a gem. Right in the heart of Hollywood.
TINY LITTLE TOWN, a new musical
The Broadwater Theatre Main Stage
1078 Lillian Way
Los Angeles, CA 90038
Feb 1 – 18, Thurs – Sat @ 7:30pm, Sat and Sun @ 2:30pm
Tickets: theatremovementbazaar.ludus.com
Book by Richard Alger and Tina Kronis. Lyrics by Richard Alger. Music composition by Wes Myers. Adapted from The Inspector General By Nikola Gogol. Direction and Choreography by Tina Kronis. Produced by Theatre Movement Bazaar. Associate Producer Justin Okin. Cast: Nick Apostolina, Joey Aquino, Mark Doerr, Prisca Kim, Ishika Muchhal, Jesse Myers, Isaiah Noriega, Lamont Oakley, Nikhil Pai, Paula Rebelo, Kasper Svendsen, and Eddie Vona. Creative team: Aaron Francis (Technical Director), John Zalewski (Sound Design), Lechetti Design (Scenic Design), Aaron Francis and Johnny Montage (Lighting Design), Anna Kupershmidt (Production Stage Manager), Ellen McCartney (Costume Designer) Yuanyuan Liang (Assistant Costume Designer).
