the Best Little Whorehouse in texas

5/10

*Disclaimer: Having seen the show with both the primary cast and understudy performances, this review will be limited to the primary cast performance.

After nearly 50 years on stage, with countless iterations and an iconic movie, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas made its way to the Gainesville Community Playhouse this weekend. On its face, the play is lively, but straightforward, with cowboys and evangelicals harassing the women of the titular Chicken Ranch brothel. However, a lot has changed in the last 50 years and the unintentional chaos onstage overshadows any attempts at a meaningful or timely message centered around the forced morality endured by Miss Mona and her girls.

At first glance, the set feels appropriately dated, with its wood paneling and muted color palette, but authenticity comes at the price of interest. As the show begins, members of a live band emerge from the wings, introducing an exciting change of pace from the prerecorded music often heard in community theater musicals. On some level, the excitement is justified because the musicians themselves are talented and perform well. Unfortunately, the talent of the musicians drowns out much of the singing, often leaving the words indecipherable and leaving the audience to piece together the story from the non-instrumental portions of the play.

While the live music overpowers many of the performers, that cannot be said of Erin Silverman, who plays Miss Mona, and Lauren Wilkinson, who plays Angel. Both actors provide emotional range and powerful vocals, complete with a little Texas twang, to keep the story moving and the audience invested.

Ms. Silverman shines as Miss Mona, the no-nonsense madame with a heart of gold. Her character work is evident as she tells a beautiful story of a woman helping other women take back power and bodily autonomy from the men in their pasts. Meanwhile, Ms. Wilkinson artfully dances between the tragic role of Angel, a single mother striving to provide for her son, and a surprise role that provided the comedic highlight of the night. Without spoiling too much, there is a mustache and a well placed sock, both of which helped Ms. Wilkinson win the loudest laughs of the evening.

Whorehouse is a show built on fun and exuberant dance numbers, designed to keep the show rolling at a quick pace. During this production, however, the dance numbers feel unrefined at best and unfinished at worst, with moments where the dancing feels simultaneously frenetic and lethargic.

As with many older properties, it is increasingly difficult to keep the story relevant and relatable to modern audiences. While there is room to tell Miss Mona's story in a way that reverberates with audiences today, Whorehouse at GCP seems to lack a clear vision beyond name recognition.

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas is currently playing at the Gainesville Community Playhouse until August 10th. Tickets range from $12 for students to $24 for the general public and can be purchased at GCPlayhouse.org.