ORLANDO | Florida Theatrical Association, director Kenny Howard and writer Jerry “J” Jobe Jr. workshop their latest musical comedy, “Chip ‘n’ Kales,” at The Mezz in Orlando Nov. 8 and 9.
“Chip ‘n’ Kales” is “the world’s first strip-tastical, theatrical event,” according to an event’s page for the show.
“What do you get when you combine a male revue, a winning lottery ticket and vegans?” it reads. “An arousing evening of comedy, dancing and fun for all!”
The show begins with a drag queen named Honey Buns (played in the workshop by Doug Ba’aser) who wins a large sum of money from a scratch-off ticket. Honey uses her winnings to open Rosebuds, a vegan male strip club, across the street from a not-so-vegan establishment named Bob’s Bone Suckin’ BBQ Buffet.
“From there the hilarity ensues,” Howard says.
Funny enough, “Chip ‘n’ Kales” wasn’t an idea that came out of nowhere; it came from a real-life situation out of the state of Washington.
“J came across this story of two female strip clubs,” Howard says. “One is vegan and across the street is this steakhouse strip club, and they have this kind of war that they’ve gotten into for clientele.”
Howard and Jobe took that has the jumping off point to create their new show filled with original musical numbers, lots of comedy and dance numbers choreographed by Blue Star.
Ba’aser is joined in the cast by Chad Lewis, Coletyn Hentz, Adam Delmedico, Jimmy Higgins, Maiky Ayala and Brett McMahon.
The two performances coming to The Mezz tonight and tomorrow are workshops for the show, Howard says, and not the fully-realized production.
“We want to see more about what’s the audience’s response,” he says. “What succeeds, what needs some work, what shouldn’t be in there at all. New play development is what I love and this is a very important part of that process.”
The “Chip ‘n’ Kales” workshops will be performances that are more of a peek behind the process of creating a show and will feature streamed-down dance numbers, abbreviated songs and select costume and prop elements.
“We will be working on blocking and the cast will have scripts in hand,” Howard says, “but what makes workshops so special is they give the audience a chance to have input on the show.”
Howard says the completed “Chip ‘n’ Kales” production will be coming to Orlando this spring with big, layered costumes and completed musical and dance numbers.
“Chip ‘n’ Kales” workshops will be at The Mezz in Orlando on Nov. 8 and 9. Doors open at 7 p.m. with the show beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets are only $10 and available at the door or at AbbeyOrlando.Ticketfly.com.
