There is nothing traditional about “The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical,” which is headed for Chicago Street Theatre in Valparaiso.
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A ribald flavor saturates this comedic holiday production, which runs Friday to Dec. 17.
“It’s completely adult-oriented,” director Dutch Spade Williams said in a recent phone interview. “It takes place in Starke, Fla.”
The story revolves around Christmastime at the Armadillo Acres Trailer Park.
Promotional material promises a raucous, good-humored dose of “singing, dancing, cat-fighting, sun worshipping and chair-throwing.”
The bawdy slice of no-frills theater is considered the yuletide companion to “The Great American Trailer Park Musical,” which gained steam with its 2005 off-Broadway run.
“It’s a good laugh,” Williams said of his Valparaiso production. “It’s just a really good time. We’ve got a killer cast.”
Portraying Linoleum is Patricia Martin, 33.
“She’s pretty feisty,” Martin said of her character. “She’s pretty snarky, but she’s really fun to play. She’s a blast.”
Other cast members are Valparaiso’s Amanda Elkins as Donna “Pickles,” and Portage’s LuAnne Pezel as Betty.
“Linoleum is fiercely loyal to her friends Pickles and Betty,” Martin, a LaPorte-area resident, said.
Williams pointed to the origin of Linoleum’s name.
“Her mother gave birth to her on the kitchen floor,” he said.
Friction among trailer park residents -— and a trailer-decorating contest — help fuel what Chicago Street Theatre calls a “keg-nog infused comedy.”
Pumped out by an onstage band, the melodic fare is as irreverent as the tone of the storyline.
Williams, a 36-year-old Chesterton resident, said the musical offerings basically have the vibe of “Lynyrd Skynyrd meets ‘Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer.'”
The rollicking “Baby, I’ll Be Your Santa Claus” has an Elvis Presley feel, according to Martin.
Another rocked-up selection has a coarse title which amplifies why “Trailer Park” is recommended for adult audiences only.
Williams confirms it is not entertainment for children.
Martin said that, as an actress, the free-wheeling stage show affords an opportunity to “let my wild side loose.”
“The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical” is a distinctive night out that provides something far removed from most community-theater experiences.
Earthy, no-pretenses characters abound.
Martin’s character, Linoleum, is fervently devoted to her husband.
But Linoleum — or Lin — has much different feelings about Darlene Seward, who is played by 33-year-old Amy O’Brien of Otis.
“She doesn’t like Darlene; she doesn’t trust Darlene,” Martin said of her character’s contentious relationship with Seward.
Although Darlene has a standoffish side to her personality, O’Brien sees another, more positive, aspect to her Scrooge-like character.
“I think that Darlene, deep down, is a really sweet person,” O’Brien said.
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The actress said the nature of “Trailer Park” allows her to have “a little bit of fun” with the holiday-season performances.
“You don’t take yourself too seriously in this kind of show,” O’Brien said.
Noting that the tenor of the musical is endearingly “inappropriate,” she pointed to the upside of a show that does not generate “deep thoughts” in audience members.
“It’s a great date-night show,” O’Brien said. “It’s a laugh a minute.”
A Friday opening-night party is set for Sage Restaurant in Valparaiso following the performance.
Bob Kostanczuk is a freelance writer.
‘The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical’
Where: Chicago Street Theatre, 154 W. Chicago St., Valparaiso
When: Friday to Dec. 17; 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays; 7 p.m. Sundays; 2 p.m. Dec. 4
Tickets: $20 adults; $17 students, senior citizens, military; $30 for VIP couch seat
Information: 219-464-1636, ext. 1; www.ChicagoStreet.org