Leave your spurs by the door: WCSU to stage ‘The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas’ in November
DANBURY, CONN. — They say “everything is bigger in Texas” and in the case of Western Connecticut State University’s fall theatre production, a large cast and expansive set will provide more laughs, songs and dance numbers than anyone has seen ’round these parts in some time.
For three weekends in November, WestConn will stage the musical comedy, “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.” Performances will be Wednesday through Saturday, Nov. 3 – 6; Friday through Sunday, Nov. 12 – 14; and Friday and Saturday, Nov. 19 and 20, in the Berkshire Theatre in Berkshire Hall on the university’s Midtown campus, 181 White St. in Danbury. The public is invited. Performances will be at 7 p.m. on Opening Night, Wednesday, Nov. 3, and High School Night, Thursday, Oct. 4. The show will be at 8 p.m. all other evenings. There will be matinee performances at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 14, and at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 20. Tickets will be $20 for adults, and $15 for seniors and students. The show is recommended for mature audiences due to its subject matter.
WCSU Associate Professor of Theatre Arts Pam McDaniel will direct the show.
“‘Best Little Whorehouse’ is based on a true event that took place in La Grange, Texas,” McDaniel explained. “The town had a brothel that had been there for many generations and it was part of the local culture. A high-profile television personality focused attention on it, generating political fallout and resulting in its closure in 1973.”
But as Miss Mona, who runs the whorehouse, sings in Act One, there was “nothing dirty going on.”
“Yes, it was a house of prostitution,” McDaniel conceded. “But it also was a home. It was a refuge for girls who came from bad situations and had no other avenue of being able to sustain themselves. It was clean and a place where they could find food and shelter and be part of the community. It also was a place where a lot of the local boys had their initiation into manhood for several generations.”
In his quest for celebrity, McDaniel said, the self-appointed “watchdog” disturbed a very safe haven. “It leads you to think about what brings a woman to live in a brothel,” she said. “This play really helps you understand the circumstances behind it.”
Also a comical look at Texan culture, “Best Little Whorehouse” pokes fun at the Lone Star state’s obsession with football and drill teams.
“The musical really sounds like a hoedown,” McDaniel said. “It’s good, clean fun.”
The Broadway production earned Tony Awards for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical (Henderson Forsythe) and Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical (Carlin Glynn). It also garnered Drama Desk awards for Outstanding Director of a Musical, Outstanding Lyrics and Outstanding Music.
WestConn’s cast will include Allison Gauthier, of Southington, as Miss Mona; Andrew Hendrick, of Fairfield, as Sheriff Dodd; Jessica Stark, of East Lyme, as Doetsy Mae; Joel Oramas, of Bridgeport, as Melvin P. Thorpe; Alana Cauthen, of Bridgeport, as Jewel; John Stegmaier, of Bridgeport, as the Governor; Conor Bartram, of Hamden, as Senator Wingwauh; Steve Pederzani, of Bethel, as Mayor Rufus; Anthony Mendoza, of Stratford, as Bandleader; and Anthony Paparello, of Southington, as CJ Scruggs. A large ensemble rounds out the cast.
The crew will include Sal Trapani as producer, McDaniel as director, Frank Herbert as technical director, Elizabeth Popiel as costume designer, Jason Jossick as scenic designer, Amy Jones as music director and choreographer, Anthony Santora as lighting designer and Zack Klavana as sound designer. Tom Cuffari, co-musical director, will conduct.
WestConn alumni couples who want to enjoy dinner before their theatre experience on Friday, Nov. 5, can buy a combination dinner-theatre ticket for $55. The Alumni Dinner-Theatre will begin at 5:30 p.m. in Warner Hall on the university’s Midtown campus. A limited number of tickets are available for the dinner theatre. To make a reservation, call the Office of Alumni relations at (203) 837-8298.
For tickets or more information, call the Berkshire Box Office at (203) 837-8732 or go to www.wcsu.edu/tickets.
Western Connecticut State University offers outstanding faculty in a range of quality academic programs. Our diverse university community provides students an enriching and supportive environment that takes advantage of the unique cultural offerings of Western Connecticut and New York. Our vision: To be an affordable public university with the characteristics of New England’s best small private universities.