Over recent months, La Mirada Theater has been doing something exciting. For the first time in the venue’s history, they have helped commission and bring to life a musical. There have been table readings and many workshops to help turn it into the final form that played over three weekends this past March. Among its noteworthy cast of contributors is book, music and lyrics by Randy Rogel, best known for his work in composing songs for TV series like Animaniacs. With his own vision of this self-described “beatnik horror musical,” he hopes to join the ranks of Little Shop of Horrors in making the next big show. While it’s too early to see how far Did You See What Walter Paisley Did Today? will travel, for now, it’s safe to say that if it comes to a town near you, you probably should consider it.
As the closing song suggests, I’m not supposed to say what Walter Paisley did today or I will be what he does next. This means that I will mostly be sharing a broad overview without any real hint about the greater production. What little I will choose to give is that it takes place in San Francisco, CA and focuses on an art community trying to come up with the latest art trends. Things go horribly wrong and it leads to a nice mix of comedy and horror, where obsession blends with madness and Act II goes into even more comically deranged directions. There’s plenty of slapstick and the actors do a good job of mixing the dexterity of Rogel’s dialogue with entendres and language that avoids revealing the central mystery.
At the center of the story is Walter Paisley, who navigates a world as a down on his luck sculptor trying to find the next big thing. Along with his love interest, they begin that familiar journey of dreaming of a greater life. It comes at an expense, but not without Rogel’s love for old fashioned humor. There’s eccentric neighbors as well as supporting players who have certain heirs around their pomposity. It’s a show that tries to ask the big question: what is art? The answer may reveal itself throughout the show, but Rogel is as much using it as a punchline for how an interpretive medium can be ridiculous and hollow as it is the suggestion that fulfillment may not always be for healthy reasons.
The staging is smaller, even by La Mirada Theater standards. The majority of the auditorium was roped off in order to create a more intimate experience. The stage also incorporates this feature in order to allow the actors to navigate more easily between an impressive mix of settings as well as Benny Hill-esque door gags that play really well during song numbers. There’s also a fair share of prop gags that really come in handy in Act II. These mostly undercut the demented nature of certain reveals and allow for the menace to be just as memorable without scaring everybody. If anything, it allows for an older sensibility to horror to emerge, and one that doesn’t reject consequence but more that this is all a fictional medium and should be accepted as frilly fun.
Given that this was a premiere production, it can be assumed that notes have been taken during the run and may be applied to future works. Even with the potential scrappiness to consider, Rogel and team have produced an entertaining night out that really plays well to those craving a B-Movie pastiche with a chipper soundtrack that’s just as catchy as his other work. On the surface is pure optimism, but underneath is a series of complicated emotions that Rogel works on fairly well and creates something with potential and intrigue. Not every scene works, but if the audience is any indicator, it’s more of a hit than a miss in most departments.
For me personally, it’s a great extension of Rogel as an artist. Given how much I’ve enjoyed his Animaniacs compositions (he even performed with the cast at the venue years back), there’s plenty of toe-tapping fun to be taken from it. The immediate standout is the titular song, which captures a jazzy espionage tone and becomes a funny recurring motif. Everything else is top-notch and has the potential to be an Off Broadway standard for years to come. For those looking for a nice addition to their Little Shop of Horrors repertoire, it may be worth considering this one. While it’s not as child friendly as the aforementioned WB show, it does have that underlying cleverness that those songs often had. It’s a fun night out and definitely one to keep an eye out for. For a man who doesn’t seem all that significant at the start of the play, you’ll be glad to see what Walter Paisley does on the stage. It’s more laughs than shrieks, but nevertheless a delightful addition to the horror musical genre.
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