Always looking for something different to do, I decided to purchase tickets to a show that was held at Captain's Inn in Forked River, New Jersey, last week and I am glad that I did. "Fabulous Flops" was a tribute through song to those shows that didn't fare too well at the Broadway box office. Presented by the Harbor Stage Theatre Company of Lacey, New Jersey, this group is an "all-volunteer non-profit theatre company." Michael A. Mazzonna and Victoria E. Buczynski are listed as the founding members of this organization on their website (harborstagetheatre.com). Of course, a nice buffet was available, as only Captain's Inn can provide.
What shows were considered flops? Believe it or not, some of these titles I would have expected to not be included in this category. The shows included "Anyone Can Whistle," "Big Fish," "Chaplin," "Shrek: The Musical," "Bad Cinderella," "Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark," "Side Show," "Jagged Little Pill," "Tarzan," "Finding Neverland," "The Addams Family," "Bring It On: The Musical," "She Loves Me," "Rocky: The Musical," "Chess," "Seussical: The Musical," "Bonnie and Clyde," "The Prom" and "Catch Me If You Can." Not only was one of these productions composed by the legendary Stephen Sondheim, Lin-Manuel Miranda, who very often produces gold, contributed to another production. In addition, pop stars such as Bono and The Edge, Phil Collins and Alanis Morissette had serious contributions to some of the productions. On the plus side, we got to enjoy these fabulous numbers!
All of the performers had exceptional voices! Gabrielle Hansson was a standout putting a lot of energy into her performances. Rosa Spalliero utilized a perfect child-like voice to her dialogue-driven vocals and then transformed into this powerhouse vocal. Jack Morrowin performed with a flawless cabaret-like style, even adding a touch of magic. Kudos goes to the rest of the cast as well, which included Angelia Albert, Amanda Davies, Jessica Davies, Lauren Dyke, Michael A. Mazzonna and Emily Sampson.
Their next show at the Captain's Inn will be an interactive murder mystery entitled "Girls Night Out." It will take place on Thursday, April 18th, and Friday, April 19th, at 7pm. Tickets are on sale now through the previously mentioned website. Experiencing them for the first time at this show, I can honestly say that Harbor Stage Theatre Company is an organization that brings a good time and deserves your support!
