There’s no bad news when it comes to The Great American Melodrama’s latest iteration of its infamously popular show, “Scary Poppins,” running through November 12 at the company’s theatre in Oceano. That descriptor applies as well to The Villains Vaudeville Review that follows the two-act melodrama, bringing the evening to a close after three high-grade, hauntingly hilarious hours.
With just a painted backdrop suggesting the Dunes, some appropriate costumes, and a minimum of props and accessories (swim fins, anyone?), this Melodrama family has created a delightful distraction that celebrates the beach, Oceano, and everything you could think of that happens next to the sea . . .
So . . . you might be a little confused when the curtain rises on The Great American Melodrama’s latest offering in Oceano: “Butch Cassidy and the Sunburnt Kid.” That’s because, in true Melodrama fashion, almost everyone onstage throughout the production fumbles with Butch’s friend’s name, never getting to Sunburnt, let alone Sundance.
So . . . The Great American Melodrama in Oceano proudly proclaims they have been “Making Merriment Since 1975.” No truer statement has been uttered—ever—and the proof is in the Melodrama’s most recent production, “The Mark of Morro.”
So . . . eclectic, surprising, and a whole lot of fun. That’s Pump Boys and Dinettes, a crowd-pleasing patchwork quilt of a musical headlining The Great American Melodrama’s first show of 2020.
This year’s “Holiday Extravaganza” keeps The Great American Melodrama’s reputation for talent and tradition alive.
As Halloween entertainment goes, you won’t find a better haunt this fall than “Drac in the Saddle Again” at The Great American Melodrama.