By Mike Hoban
‘The Ebonic Woman’ – Written by Ryan Landry; Directed by Bubbles Goldberg (Kiki Samko); Scenic Design by Windsor Newton; Costumes by Scott Martino; Music Direction by Tim Lawton, Choreography by Matt Kyle; Lighting Design by Michael Clark Wonson; Sound Design by Roger Moore. Presented by the Gold Dust Orphans. At Machine, 1254 Boylston St., Boston through May 26.
Just before the start of the The Ebonic Woman, the latest disturbingly hilarious offering by Ryan Landry and the Gold Dust Orphans, the pre-show announcement welcomed the crowd to the “soon to be demolished Ramrod Center for the Performing Arts”. And while it’s always sad when a theater troupe loses its performance space, it is especially so for those of us that have been coming to the Ramrod (aka ‘Machine’) to see the Orphans and their demented parodies for literally (gulp) decades.
The former leather bar will be meeting the wrecking ball to make way for a 15 stories of student housing, and although developers are promising a 120-seat theater (dubbed the Boylston Black Box) that “will embrace the long-standing LGBTQ heritage of the Project Site”, suffice to say that there will never be a more appropriate venue for a troupe than this was for the Orphans. The setting has always been a part of the charm of their shows, while pretty much guaranteeing that you were never going to run into your church-going, Fox-watching neighbors (unless of course it was Fetish Night) if you went to see Willie Wanker and the Hershey Highway or Peter Pansy.
But enough with the sad news. The Ebonic Woman is a non-stop laugh riot, and takes its place among my favorite efforts by the Orphans (along with 2012’s Mary Poppers and 2006’s mind-blowing Cleopatra the Musical). For the Ramrod finale, Landry abandons the parody formula of so many of the company’s hits and instead constructs an original “comic book farce” featuring a plethora of characters you’re not likely to meet at the next Comic Con. The show opens with a very clever short film set to a send up of Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water”, featuring clips of familiar (and not-so-familiar) comic characters.
As with most Orphans shows, the plot packs in a ton of details to serve as springboards for jokes, but this one is remarkably coherent, thanks in part to another fine directorial effort by Kiki Samko (who received an Eliot Norton nomination for last December’s (Nightmare on Elf Street). After witnessing the murder of the two gay men (Bruce and Wayne) who were about to adopt her, little Hennessy Brown (Orphan favorite Qya Marie) is instead taken in by wealthy liberal artist Gemini Brown. She grows up to be a brilliant MIT scientist/babe who invents a prototype for a serum designed to eliminate racism. But when she accidentally administers an oversized dose to herself, she develops super powers and becomes the Ebonic Woman. While her powers are meant to create a more harmonious world (the serum itself is called Harmony), they could also be used for evil if they were to fall into the wrong hands.
Meanwhile, Gemini Brown’s polar opposite sister Ivy League (Samko), the corrupt right-wing Mayor of Lynn, and is planning to make a run at the presidency with the help of Donald J. Trump (Tim Lawton) who is just finishing up a ten-year jail sentence (we can dream). But the evil Trump has his own nefarious plans, and concocts a new identity for himself, Bald Eagle, who wants to destroy not only his former supporters who turned against him, but the entire world.
Landry adds more layers of politically pointed silliness to the proceedings, poking fun at opposing right and left leaning factions. There’s the League of Ethnically Diverse, Sexually Fluid, Non-Denominational Super Heroes, an underachieving and impoverished group of do-gooders whose ranks include Jade, aka The Green New Deal (Paxton Crystal); Hot Tamale (Rose Garcia); Aladdin (Felton Sparks); Bat Mitzvah (Jessica Barstis); and Mr. Stretch (Matt Kyle). On the other side, there’s the White Ladies Paranoid Society, a quartet of pastel-wearing, bouffant-sporting “Christians” that lay out their beliefs in an over-the-top musical number using the appropriate theme of “Springtime for Hitler” from The Producers.
Longtime Boston actor Damon Singletary makes his debut as an Orphan as Dr. Lowe Hanger, the father of Cliff Hanger (Adriean Delaney, also new), the superstar addiction recovery advocate and fiancé of Hennessey Brown. Singletary’s over the top delivery as he tells his tale of woe that took him from respected professional to chauffeur to Ivy League is priceless, and he fits in seamlessly with the troupe.
But it’s the regulars that are the backbone of this scorchingly funny production. Both Lawton and Qya Marie are comic and vocal powerhouses, and they deliver bigly in their musical numbers, and Sarah Jones’ (white) Butterfly McQueen impression as the maid Peona is a scream. But it’s Scott Martino (aka Penny Champagne) that nearly steals the show, as Polly Wannacracker, the balloon-breasted, wisecracking sidekick to Trump. Martino’s eye rolls and improvisational asides are comic dynamite, keeping the cast on their toes as they struggle to keep in character, channeling the old Carol Burnett Show. Martino also outdid himself with the costumes for this show, particularly the superheroes’ getups from the Marvel Comic-worthy winged Bald Eagle costume to the uber-sexy Hot Tamale ensemble and the sidesplittingly ridiculous rainbow crocheted cock-in-a-sock-with-cape outfit worn by Mr. Stretch.
Landry is really at the top of his game with this effort, adding delicate touches to his over-the-top comedy writing style, like interspersing the background music from the 1960’s Batman series into the scenes, and this show really is a joy. It’s a shame that the Ramrod, like many Boston institutions, will be no more, but thankfully we’ll still have Landry and his Orphans. Don’t miss this show. For tickets and more information, go to: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4096715?fbclid=IwAR24Ro5B16AHLvIGz1VvVYydeaiRYotT50r9ijv_M4gAvEQI4zQSPFmRLZA
