Review: Tammy: A Coming of Age Story About a Girl Who Is Part T-Rex (Cornservatory)

Tammy: A Coming of Age Story About a Girl Who Is Part T-Rex Written by Julia Weiss   Directed by Anneliese Toft at The Cornservatory, 4210 N. Lincoln (map) thru Apr 7  |  tickets: $7-$10 (BYOB)  |  more info         Check for half-price tickets                        Read entire review

Now extended through April 7th!

LMAO!

Review by Katy Walsh 

I look back on my youth with relief.  I survived it.  Everything is a big deal.  Nothing is easy.  Someone is always judging… peers, teachers, parents.  There is no escaping the public and personal scrutiny.  Being a kid sucks.  And to kick the misery up a notch, puberty arrives to make life more out of control.

Corn Productions presents world premiere of Tammy: A Coming of Age Story about a Girl Who Is Part T-Rex. Tammy is in middle school.  She wants to be cool.  She wants to have friends.  She wants Cliff to like-like her.  The problem is she’s different.  Her only friend is Hope.  And Cliff is one of the most popular kids in school.   

Tammy isn’t the average preteen.  She eats raw meat.  She has a tail.  And when she gets upset, she is muzzled for growling.  Tammy is part *real girl* and part dinosaur. Tammy: A Coming of Age Story…has plenty of human heart and tyrannosaurus-size laughs.

Playwright Julia Weiss penned a hilarious story.  The premise is clever.  The smart dialogue is pure adolescent slang and attitude.  It’s the perfect blend of  “Mean Girls” meets “Carrie” in “Jurassic Park.”   Under the direction of Anneliese Toft, the talented ensemble double as black-clad stage hands.  Toft paces scene transitions with stylized swirling movement.  She speeds the action up or slows it down with zinging comedic timing.  All the activity playfully showcases the Dino-girl.  Weiss and Toft create an ambiance of *normal.*  It’s just the average family-school-bullies being supportive-ignorant-abusive to a girl who is different.  The regularity makes it hysterical!  Alex Young (Tammy) is adorable!  Squeaky voice and big eyed, Young captivates as the preteen-living-fossil. Her search for acceptance engages with multiple heartfelt “Awwwwwws” from the audience.  Her sidekick Alisa Rosenthal (Hope) is the corny-joke telling geek.  Young and Rosenthal are hysterical BFFs dreaming of high school and marriage.  Playing an SNL-type character, Lindsay Bartlett (Mrs. Sanchez) is outstanding as a guidance counselor/adult ally.  Bartlett clobbers the punch line with her unique outlook.  Jackelyn Normand is just a petite beautiful bitch.  Normand rules the school with two-faced cruelty.  She evokes ongoing laughs and hate from the audience.

The entire ensemble brings the funny.  They crack jokes AND dance. There are spectacular GLEE-like musical numbers.  Sound Designer Christian Vernon blasts the pop soundtrack.  And Choreographer Derek Van Barham orchestrates the flash mob moments.  It’s an AV extravaganza.

Tammy: A Coming of Age Story about a Girl Who Is Part T-Rex is a dinosaur-themed party!  Corn Productions even encourages the audience to BYOB to drink in the frivolity.  Full disclosure:  I didn’t have a drop of alcohol and I still LMAO!               

Tammy: A Coming of Age Story… continues through March 24th April 7th at The Cornservatory, 4210 N. Lincoln (map), with performances Wednesdays-Saturdays at 8pm.  Tickets are $7-$10, and are available by phone (773-650-1331) or online here.  This production is BYOB. More information at cornservatory.org.  (Running time: 2 hours, which includes an intermission)

artists

cast

Alex Young (Tammy Rex); Alisa Rosenthal (Hope Endoor); Eric Akeson (Cliff Somorga); Jackelyn Normand (Jennica Lupis); Tory Flack (Amber Swan); Lindsay Bartlett (Mrs. Sanchez); Lisa Witmer (Mrs. Rex); Ryan Cleary (Mr. Rex); Daniel Polonka (Brian Rex); Seth Wanta (Steve “Bacon Bite” Watson); Matt Gripe and Julia Weiss (Filmstrip Voiceover)

behind the scenes

Julia Weiss (playwright); Anneliese Toft (director, lighting); Kallie Rolison (asst. director); Alex St. John (stage manager); Orion Couling (Fight Choreographer); Derek Van Barham (Dance Choreographer); Daniel Roberts (Dinosaur Costume Puppetry Designer); Christian Vernon (sound design); Marly Wooster (lighting consultant); Kara Karstedt (costumes); Richard Anderson (props); Matt Gripe (Diorama); Daniel Polonka (set design); Eric Akeson, Tory Flack, Ryan Cleary (set crew); Ashley Sullivan (poster art); Kristi McKay (graphic design); Carrie Shemanski (Production Manager); Robert Bouwman, Anneliese Toft, Kallie Rolison, Julia Weiss (marketing); Jodi McGrath (Lobby Display); Robert Bouwman (artistic director)

12-0250

Tags: 12-0250, Alex St. John, Alex Young, Alisa Rosenthal, Anneliese Toft, Ashley Sullivan, BYOB, Carrie Shemanski, Christian Vernon, Corn Productions, Cornservatory, Daniel Polonka, Daniel Roberts, Derek Van Barham, Eric Akeson, Jackelyn Normand, Jodi McGrath, Julia Weiss, Kallie Rolison, Kara Karstedt, Katy Walsh, Kristi McKay, Lindsay Bartlett, Lisa Witmer, Marly Wooster, Matt Gripe, Orion Couling, post, Richard Anderson, Robert Bouwman, Ryan Cleary, Seth Wanta, Tammy a Coming of Age Story, The Cornservatory, Tory Flack

Category: 2012 Reviews, Cornservatory, Katy Walsh, New Work, World Premier