"Die Mommie Die" Lives Off-Broadway Starring the Dazzling Charles Busch

I want to preface this blog by saying that this is not a musical I'm reporting on but while the strike continues I've decided to tell you about some off-Broadway shows worth seeing. All of the four shows mentioned have had positive critiques from both the critics and the public alike.

The New World Stages located just west of Times Square on 50th between 8th and 9th Avenue is a five theatre state-of-the-art facility housing some of the best of off-Broadway shows. For a limited time, New World Stages is offering tickets for all of their shows at the bargain price of $36.50. Some of the Broadway area's most popular shows are currently playing here including: "Altar Boyz", "Celia" (celebrating the life and music of Celia Cruz), "The Gazillion Bubble Show", and "Die Mommie Die" starring Charles Busch.

Charles Busch, writer, actor and one of America's most celebrated drag queens, wrote this play in 1999 and played the lead in Los Angeles before it was made into a feature film of the same name with Busch again in the lead. Now Busch recreates the story of Hollywood has-been Angela Arden here in the New York area for the first time. In the part Mr. Busch embodies such Hollywood divas of yesteryear as Joan Crawford, Bette Davis and, of course, Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond. You want camp, you get camp here. From the gaudy costumes (40 in the movie, several of which are used in the play), the wigs, the eyelashes, the horribly extravagant sets, the cliches, the kitsch you'll find loads of laughs in this murder mystery/thriller/comedy. "Busch and his five co-stars handle bad style with great style." (a quote from Newsday.com)

Angela Arden is a "this side of 50" fallen pop diva trapped in a hateful marriage trying to find happiness by planning a comeback and taking a younger lover. Angela murders her husband using a poisoned suppository, leaving her two children to avenge their father's death. The play follows Angela, her film producer husband, their gay son and "daddy's girl" daughter, the out-of-work actor lover and their live-in maid through the twists and turns uncovering other crimes Angela has committed and finally a confession to her children afer they lace her drink with LSD.

So if you're in New York City during the strike or after for that matter, don't discount seeing this or any of the other plays at New World Stages. Remember that many a Broadway hit including "A Chorus Line", "Rent" and "Spring Awakening" started off-Broadway.