Ruthless! The Musical: Off-broadway Cult Classic Opens Island City Stage Season
- wgclients01
- 2h
- 3 min read
Audiences and critics are raving about Island City Stage’s production of Ruthless! The Musical, the killer comedy opener to its 14th South Florida Season! Meet eight-year-old Tina Denmark—a pint-sized diva who knows she was destined to play Pippi Longstocking in her school musical, and if she has to knock off the competition to get the part? Well, that’s showbiz!
Daisy Tanner (Tina Denmark) makes her Island City Stage debut in Ruthless! The Musical.
Comedy, ambition, stage mothers, child stars, and murder … it’s all here where the spotlight can be deadly. Island City Stage’s artistic director Andy Rogow describes Ruthless! The Musical as “a mash up of The Bad Seed, All About Eve and Gypsy.”
“This by far was the best show I have ever seen! Absolutely spectacular cast!" - Frank Beri
"I could not stop laughing. It is the campiest show ever!" - James Stanton
“Director Andy Rogow keeps the pacing crisp and the comic timing sharp. His staging is brisk, knowing, and perfectly in tune with the show’s satirical bite. The production design complements the madness: a bubblegum-bright set, witty costumes, and clean musical direction all blend to create polished chaos amidst the greasepaint and tap shoes.” - John Lariviere of South Florida Insider
Lindsey Corey plays dual roles of Judy and Ginger.
Michael Ursua, Daisy Tanner and Lindsey Corey
Ruthless! The Musical (book and lyrics by Joel Paley and music by Marvin Laird) opened at the Players Theatre in New York City’s Greenwich Village on March 13, 1992, and ran for 342 performances. The lead role of Tina was originally played by nine-year-old Laura Bell Bundy, best known today as a highly successful country music artist and TV, stage and screen actress. The show won the 1993 New York Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway Musical. The show opened in Los Angeles in 1993, in Miami in 1995 and in London in 2002, and has been a favorite production of many other venues since then.
Island City Stage’s production of Ruthless! The Musical stars nine-year-old child actress Daisy Tanner (Tina Denmark) making her Wilton Manors debut, Lindsey Corey (Judy/Ginger), Leah Sessa (Louise/Eve), Maribeth Graham (Miss Thorn/Reporter), Michael Ursua (Sylvia St. Croix) and Aaron Bower (Lita).
Aaron Bower and Lindsey Corey
Ruthless! The Musical is co-produced by Robert Korn and Al Menendez; Set Sponsor is Glenn Goldberg; Lights and Sound Sponsor is Scott Bennett; Costume Sponsors are Walter Boyd and David Santee; Talent Sponsors are Bill Sandrik and Henry Smith and Musician Sponsor is The Jim Stepp & Peter Zimmer Fund at The Our Fund Foundation.
Don’t miss this Off-Broadway cult favorite, a deliciously satisfying satire packed with sharp wit, outrageous twists, and over-the-top characters. The show runs through December 7.
Individual show tickets start at $50. A Mimosa Sunday Brunch sponsored by Murl Casey, Chuck David, Chuck Jackson & Steve Laskin will take place November 16 with tickets priced at $67. Women’s Night at the Theatre, sponsored by Leslie Fine, takes place on December 5 with tickets at $50. The show runs for two hours with an intermission.
Lindsey Corey and Daisy Tanner
Island City Stage will also be offering two Flexpass options this season. The Flexpass5 ($225) offers five tickets that can be used all for one show or one for every show (no processing fees) and $5 off additional tickets purchased. The Flexpass3 ($136) offers three tickets that can be used all for one show or one for every show (no processing fees) and $5 off additional tickets purchased. Discounts are available for groups.
From twisted tales to touching human stories, Island City Stage's upcoming season invites you to expect the unexpected. Upcoming bold productions, each delivering unexpected twists, inventive storytelling, and unforgettable theatrical moments include The Little Foxes by Lillian Hellman from January 8 – February 8; Everything Beautiful Happens at Night by Ted Malawer from April 2 – 26; Light Switch by Dave Osmundsen from May 21 – June 14 and Eureka Day by Jonathan Spector from August 20 – September 20.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit islandcitystage.org, call (954) 928-9800 or email boxoffice@islandcitystage.org. Follow Island City Stage on Facebook at facebook.com/IslandCityStageFL and on Instagram at @islandcitystage1.