The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas

Reviewed by Holly Bartges

Bravo for The Arvada Center for bringing together an outstanding cast pulling out all the stops for The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas.

The cast of The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas at the Arvada Center.

On a splendiferous set designed by Kent Homchick, characters wearing eye-popping costumes in strategic places, making no apologies, Director Rob A. Lansbury with choreographer Kitty Skillman Hilsabeck wraps Whorehouse with the brightest, bawdiest, colorful cast package ever to grace the Arvada stage. The result is a mouth-dropping gigantic success.

Based on the true story of the famous Chicken Ranch in La Grange Texas. The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas stood Broadway on its head garnering four 1979 Tony Awards, nine 1978 Drama Desk Awards, and one 1979 Theatre World Award.

The 1982 film version starring Dolly Parton and Burt Reynolds created major promotion problems in some areas. Because Whorehouse was considered an obscene word in some parts of the country, the title was changed in advertisements to The Best Little Cathouse in Texas to accommodate the overly puritanical.

With its exciting music, colorful honest characters and a cast who dance and sing their hearts out, this production should not be missed, no how, no way. It screams artistic perfection and from the first note to the last.

Beth Flynn was born to play Miss Mona owner and proprietor of the Chicken Ranch. In truth, Flynn was born to play many roles. In this production she brings to full life a Miss Mona full of humor, compassion, sensitivity toward her girls, along with high expectations for clean, clear moral behavior. Tolerating no nonsense, her girls honored her with high regard and respect. Flynn embodies all that and more.

A striking scene early in the show demonstrates the strength and compassion of Miss Mona. Overhearing a telephone conversation with Angel (Colleen Hawks) apologizing to her small son why she can’t be with him for Christmas, Miss Mona hesitates in the shadows. As soon as Angel hangs up from the call, the dignified lady continues down the stairs, walks past Angel without hesitation and calmly comments, “We’ll have to find a way for you to get the “curse” on Christmas Eve. Something there is about that one moment, the timing, the inflection, and the perception that demonstrates Flynn’s innate ability to define a character in full force.

Angel had just arrived at the Ranch with the name of Amber, having had some professional experience as a prostitute. Hawks is wonderful flaunting her wares, making no apologies for which she was, showing compassion in her own right toward Shy (Amy Board). Arriving in town together, Shy dressed in cut-off overalls escaped an abusive father, unsteady, insecure, clutching determination, Amber takes her under her wing. Miss Mona names her Shy admitting the out of place slight of a girl commands a great deal of attention.

Particular about who lives at the Ranch, Miss Mona bristles over being called Madam, insisting those who come to the Ranch are guests.

The Chicken Ranch ran for over a hundred years without incident. Ironically Miss Mona gave her girls what no one else could: confidence, self-esteem, grace, with a dash of elegance. Surrounded by the bawdy atmosphere, Flynn swirls Miss Mona into these qualities.

Shy’s transformation from a hesitant, insecure girl to a confident young lady reflects Board’s genuine expertise and Miss Mona’s influence.

Public law and private behavior clash head-on when a zealous evangelical TV Watchdog reporter goes after the Chicken Ranch with a vengeance. Jamison Stern plays Melvin P. Thorpe with the same vengeance as Thorpe attacks the Ranch. Always dressed in outrageous outfits, Stern grabs Thorpe by the throat with hard-core determination flashing a dash of humor. Stern plays him so you can laugh at him and with him but you still don’t like him very much.

For years the Ranch quietly served local and state politicians, athletes, and VIP’s of all sorts.

Wendelin Harston plays Jewell with such graceful dignity she deserves to be called a partner rather than Maid or Housekeeper. Her rich voice adds luster especially to her song “Twenty-Four Hours of Lovin’” preparing for her day off with her man.

Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd, a longtime friend of Miss Mona’s, comes vibrantly to life with Mark Rubald pulling his strings. The anguish he feels waiting for the Governor’s decision about the Ranch fills the theatre particularly with his song “Good Old Girl along” with Edsel Mackey wonderfully played by James E. Bullard.

Thorpe manages to get the town in a major uproar over the Ranch with 50 percent wanting it to be closed down and 50 percent wanting it to remain open.

Ah, yes, the Governor of the great state of Texas is left with making the final decision. Humorous, powerful you can’t help but not like him, but oh what a magnificent performance by Marcus Waterman. He’s a knock out in his cowboy hat, boots, western garb and song and dance in “The Sidestep” along with Thorpe and the Ensemble. Waterman gives a performance to stop any show in its tracks. When the Sidestep music hits its last note, you want to say, “do it again?”

Penny Dwyer shows a different side of the town as Doatsy Mae a waitress in a town-centered café. Pleasant, gentle, a classified good girl, sociable her song Doatsy Mae flies in the face of a woman wanting it have the courage to break free with words “I wanted to, but never could.” With Dwyer’s strong voice and emotional impact on Doatsy Mae there’s a twinge of hunger that says she would like to be free enough to be a part of the Ranch, but… With the high stepping sexy bawdy dancing, Dwyer makes Doatsy Mae stand out on her own terms.

Conductor and keyboard player David Nehls fills the notes with the exciting perceptive music as though there is an entire orchestra although there is but Keith Ewer on percussion, Jon Cullison on bass, Scott Alan Smith on guitar, and Jean Bolger on violin. The inspired music inspires the musicians giving gigantic proportions to the songs: “A Lil Ole Bitsy Pissant Country Place,” “Girl You’re A Woman,” “Texas has A Whorehouse In It,” and “Hard Candy Christmas.”

The Ladies and Female Ensemble kick up their heels with enough costume to consider themselves covered, but anything more would have destroyed the impact of the Chicken Ranch. Adrianne Hampton, Valerie Hill, Jessica Laulhere, Maija-Liisa Nielson, Rose Ouellette, Erica Sweany, Sharon Kay White, and Brooke Wilson match the demands of the music, and Hilsabeck’s choreography, even when they’re covered from head to toe as snobbish judgmental townspeople in juxtaposition to the Ladies.

The Aggies and Male Ensemble: Mathias Anderson, Scot Brateng, Kyle DesChamps, Derek Hansen, Rick Jewell, Rob Reynolds, Seay, and Broc Timmerman knock the eyeballs out of their sockets with precise and thrilling song and dance execution.

You’ll not want to miss The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas. No Matter what your predisposition you will find yourself rooting for the Ranch, feeding off of Miss Mona’s dignity, agonizing with Sheriff Ed Earl, finding Thorpe distasteful in spite of a stunning performance, disliking the Governor with his pious political air all the while gasping at the performance, being thrilled with the chorography, feeling the music with every molecule in your body, awed by the clever set, and admiring the Ladies for their gift, growth, determination leaving the Ranch with head held high as Ladies.