STERLING — Remember the 1970s? When disco was king and disaster films ruled at the box office? The decade roars back to life in the stage musical comedy “Disaster!” which will open Sterling’s Old Fashioned Fourth of July Celebration by being presented by the Sterling Community Theatre Troupe on Thursday and Friday June 29 and 30 at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, July 2 at 3 p.m. at the Sterling High School Theatre.
“Disaster!” is far from a disaster, as its name would imply. It is a truly unusual show in that it parodies a film subgenre from almost 50 years ago. Back in the ‘70s, there were an array of “disaster films,” big-budget blockbusters featuring ensemble casts, usually of B-list and C-list Hollywood stars, who all ended up in some awful situation.
Those popular disaster movies included things like a plane going down (“Airport”), a ship sinking (“The Poseidon Adventure”), a building being exploded by a terrorist (“The Towering Inferno”) and the like. It was always a race against time, and a crapshoot to see who was going to survive and who was going to die, although audiences could typically predict the death toll by the characters and level of stardom of the actors.
“Disaster!” is a madcap, zany, wacky, and loony misadventure. The richness of the humor is not totally dependent on the audience’s knowledge of 1970s pop culture. Although knowing who Shelly Winters (Oscar winning star of “The Poseidon Adventure) and Nadia Comaneci (Olympic gymnast) were and being familiar with 1970s pop and disco standards may increase one’s pleasure of the show. But the sheer number of jokes that are crammed into “Disaster!” are enough to keep even novices (and those younger than 50) entertained and laughing.
There’s a certain cringe-worthy factor at work in the show as “Disaster!” employs many of the histrionic ballads of the 1970s such as “Feelings” and “Without You” to underwrite some of the silliest plot points (heroic dying woman out-humbles gambling nun) accompanied by dance sequences using distinctive disco moves.
Broadway personality and writer of “Disaster!” Seth Rudetsky said, “I was encouraged to write a musical based on this very distinctive style of motion picture – but instead of just focusing on one film or “disaster”, I wanted to spoof ALL of them.
“This show is a culmination of everything I love, and audiences from Broadway to community to school theatres seem to love: 1970s songs, comedy, and terrifying disasters.’
Only three members of the Sterling cast are old enough to remember the ’70s, the rest have been learning about the era through the music and plot of the show. Sterling College student Noah Svaty plays the “nerd” waiter and wannabe ladies’ man and is also designing lights for the show.
“This show has been a blast to work on,” Svaty said. “Everything is over-the-top ... I get quite a memorable death scene and song!”
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and will be available at the door before each of the three performances.
