Whoop-Dee-Doo!
Encyclopedia
Whoop-Dee-Doo! is a deliberately ramshackle musical revue
subtitled "a postage stamp extravaganza". It was conceived, created and developed by Charles Catanese, Howard Crabtree, Dick Gallagher
, Phillip George, Peter Morris and Mark Waldrop. Songs and sketches by Dick Gallagher
, Peter Morris and Mark Waldrop. Additional material by Brad Ellis, Jack Feldman, David Rambo, Bruce Sussman and Eric Schorr.
A co-production of The Glines
and Postage Stamp Xtravaganzas it opened at Actors Playhouse, 100 Seventh Avenue South, New York City, June 16, 1993, and closed February 20, 1994, after a run of 271 performances. Director: Phillip George. Musical Director: Fred Barton
. Set Design: Bill Wood, Costume Design: Howard Crabtree, Lighting Design: Tracy Dedtrickson. Cast: Howard Crabtree, Keith Cromwell, Tommy Femia, David Lowenstein, Peter Morris, Jay Rogers, Ron Skobel, Richard Stegman and Alan Tulin. Executive Producers: Charles Catanese, John Glines
, Michael Wantuck.
The songs and sketches are based around extravagant costumes designed by Howard Crabtree. Despite the exuberantly camp
style, the songs belie their surface silliness and the show's apparent amateurishness, and often have a serious point: "Born This Way" is a rousing song about the nature vs. nature debate of the origins of homosexuality, "Last One Picked" looks at gay schooldays, and "A Soldier's Musical" makes points about gays in the military.
Whoop-Dee-Doo! won 1994 Drama Desk Awards in two categories: Best Musical Revue and Outstanding Costume Design (Howard Crabtree). In 1995 RCA Victor made a "Nearly Original Cast Recording".
In 1994 the Kings Head Theatre in London staged a production of the show, with Christopher Biggins
taking Jay Rogers' role as the lead cast member always complaining about the quality of the production, and drag
performer Earl Grey taking Tommy Femia's role as Judy Garland and other gay icons in the number You Are My Idol. Other cast members included Ashley Knight, Ray C. Davis and Michael Gyngell.
Revue
A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century American popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own during its golden years from 1916 to 1932...
subtitled "a postage stamp extravaganza". It was conceived, created and developed by Charles Catanese, Howard Crabtree, Dick Gallagher
Dick Gallagher
Dick Gallagher was a pianist and composer, best known on the New York cabaret scene.He co-wrote scores for several musicals:* Have I Got a Girl for You: The Frankenstein Musical...
, Phillip George, Peter Morris and Mark Waldrop. Songs and sketches by Dick Gallagher
Dick Gallagher
Dick Gallagher was a pianist and composer, best known on the New York cabaret scene.He co-wrote scores for several musicals:* Have I Got a Girl for You: The Frankenstein Musical...
, Peter Morris and Mark Waldrop. Additional material by Brad Ellis, Jack Feldman, David Rambo, Bruce Sussman and Eric Schorr.
A co-production of The Glines
The Glines
Founded in 1976 by John Glines, Barry Laine and Jerry Tobin, The Glines is an American not-for-profit organization based in New York City, New York, devoted to creating and presenting gay art to develop positive self-images and dispel negative stereotyping....
and Postage Stamp Xtravaganzas it opened at Actors Playhouse, 100 Seventh Avenue South, New York City, June 16, 1993, and closed February 20, 1994, after a run of 271 performances. Director: Phillip George. Musical Director: Fred Barton
Fred Barton
Fred Barton is an American composer, lyricist, director, actor, singer, arranger, conductor, and pianist who made his New York debut in 1982 as co-creator-arranger-performer-pianist in the original company of the internationally acclaimed revue Forbidden Broadway, appearing in the New York, L.A...
. Set Design: Bill Wood, Costume Design: Howard Crabtree, Lighting Design: Tracy Dedtrickson. Cast: Howard Crabtree, Keith Cromwell, Tommy Femia, David Lowenstein, Peter Morris, Jay Rogers, Ron Skobel, Richard Stegman and Alan Tulin. Executive Producers: Charles Catanese, John Glines
John Glines
John Glines is an American playwright and producer.-Playwright and producer:Glines graduated from Yale in 1955 with a BA in drama. As a writer in children’s television, he worked for seven years on Captain Kangaroo and for four years on Sesame Street...
, Michael Wantuck.
The songs and sketches are based around extravagant costumes designed by Howard Crabtree. Despite the exuberantly camp
Camp (style)
Camp is an aesthetic sensibility that regards something as appealing because of its taste and ironic value. The concept is closely related to kitsch, and things with camp appeal may also be described as being "cheesy"...
style, the songs belie their surface silliness and the show's apparent amateurishness, and often have a serious point: "Born This Way" is a rousing song about the nature vs. nature debate of the origins of homosexuality, "Last One Picked" looks at gay schooldays, and "A Soldier's Musical" makes points about gays in the military.
Whoop-Dee-Doo! won 1994 Drama Desk Awards in two categories: Best Musical Revue and Outstanding Costume Design (Howard Crabtree). In 1995 RCA Victor made a "Nearly Original Cast Recording".
In 1994 the Kings Head Theatre in London staged a production of the show, with Christopher Biggins
Christopher Biggins
Christopher Kenneth Biggins is an English actor and media personality.-Career:Biggins was born in Oldham, Lancashire, England and brought up in Salisbury, Wiltshire, where he took elocution lessons and participated in local drama groups...
taking Jay Rogers' role as the lead cast member always complaining about the quality of the production, and drag
Drag (clothing)
Drag is used for any clothing carrying symbolic significance but usually referring to the clothing associated with one gender role when worn by a person of another gender. The origin of the term "drag" is unknown, but it may have originated in Polari, a gay street argot in England in the early...
performer Earl Grey taking Tommy Femia's role as Judy Garland and other gay icons in the number You Are My Idol. Other cast members included Ashley Knight, Ray C. Davis and Michael Gyngell.
External links
- Stephen Holden Theater Review: Dusting Off the Spirit of Ziegfeld The New York Times, July 5, 1993.
- Greg Evans Howard Crabtree’s Whoop-Dee-Doo! Variety, August 30, 1993.
- "Whoop-Dee-Doo!" information, photo and excerpt on Peter Morris's website