Past Reviews

Regional Reviews: Minneapolis/St. Paul

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
Old Log Theatre

Also see Arty's reviews of Sherlock Homes and the Ice Palace Murder and Choir Boy


Julia Cook, Whitney Rhodes and Cast
Once upon a time in a distant land called Texas, ten ladies led safe and happy lives in a castle called the Chicken Ranch. You don't remember that fairy tale? It is otherwise known as the musical Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, now being given a lively production at Old Log Theatre. This true (more or less) story of a house of ill repute and how it was shut down by moralistic, hypocritical crusaders, first appeared on Broadway in 1978, a time when audiences were, perhaps, more innocent, more able to believe happy hooker fairy tales. The overall feeling is, as proclaimed in the song "A Lil' Ole Bitty Pissant Country Place," there's nothin' dirty going on

The Chicken Ranch had been around since 1905, but got its name during the Great Depression when poultry was often used in lieu of cash as payment for services rendered. Miss Mona, madame for the past ten year, maintains a clean, quiet operation that, though hardly a secret, is left alone by local authorities. The fact that many Texan politicians, law officers, and lawyers were among its clientele helped to keep the Chicken Ranch from being pestered by the law.

From time to time someone raised a ruckus over the presence of this brothel almost in the shadow of the state capital, but those voices had always been quieted in due time. Nothing changed because those in charge were happy with the way things were. The Chicken Ranch was one of the most successful businesses in town, Mona made purchases from local merchants, and contributed generously to local charities. The Chicken Ranch also had the protection of sheriff Ed Earl Dodd, who sees no harm in what goes on behind its closed doors, and seems to have a soft spot of his own for Mona.

As the show opens, two new girls arrive, seeking work at the Chicken Ranch: One is an experienced hooker escaping brutalization by pimps, the other an innocent newbie seeking refuge from a horrendous home life. Mona lays down her rules with a firm hand, but warmly brings the two new girls into the fold. We soon see that for all the girls, the Chicken Ranch has become home, and for many, a more secure and safer home than any they have known. They don't seem to mind the work, even seem to look forward to dressing up for the annual tradition of entertaining the winning team in the Texas A&M/University of Texas football game. If this sounds distasteful, it at least spawns two lively musical numbers—one by cheerleading girls, "The Angelette March," the other (and far superior) by the winning football boys, "The Aggie Song," a well-choreographed ode to horniness.

This all changes when a television crusader, Melvin P. Thorpe, self-appointed watchdog of public morals, launches a campaign against the Chicken Ranch. The universal presence of TV brings the issue right into the living rooms of "middle America" and makes the crusade a form of entertainment for its large audience, performing "Texas Has a Whorehouse In It" as an all-out hoedown. Thorpe ties Sheriff Dodd's failure to shut down the brothel with unfounded accusations of bribery, even connections to organized crime. He and his song and dance Watchdog team will not back down, finally getting the Governor to take notice—not of the Chicken Ranch, that's old news—but of the swing in public opinion. The Chicken Ranch's days are numbered.

Carol Hall's score includes several strong songs, including the opening "20 Fans"; "Twenty-Four Hours of Lovin'," sung by Jewel, the brothel's housekeeper, detailing her plans for her day off; "Good Old Girl", a heartfelt ballad sung by Ed Earl about his cherished Mona; Mona's reflection on how she started out in "The Bus from Amarillo"; and "Hard Candy Christmas," in which the girls look for hope in the midst of the hardship of leaving the only security and community they have known. The book, by Texan journalist Larry L. King (who first wrote the story as a magazine article) gives its characters authentic voices that convey real feelings, and is generously sprinkled with laughs. At its end, it finds real empathy for the plight of those misplaced from the Chicken Ranch, giving truth to the notion that change is never easy.

Julia Cook as Miss Mona, and Jefferson Slinkard as Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd, are both very terrific. Both seem fully at ease in the skin of their characters, brooking no misgivings about who they are, or what they have endured. They have a nice rapport together that is actually sweet. Neither is the strongest of singers, but they invest their musical numbers with genuine feelings that deliver the goods.

Jon Andrew Hegge is quite good as Melvin P. Thorpe, tightly wound and unable to stop his full-throttle campaign long enough to consider the larger context. He is willfully oblivious to the hypocrisy of those who swing back and forth with prevailing public opinion. As the Governor, John Paul Gamoke has only one real moment on stage, "The Sidestep," demonstrating in song and dance the art of evading issues and spouting a stream of words that mean nothing. Unfortunately, Gamoke lets the audience see him having too good a time, so that he comes across as a clown, rather than an oily politician. I must note, though, that most of the audience seemed to love the clowning.

As Jewel, Whitney Rhodes has a solo spot in "Twenty Four Hours of Loving." Rhodes has a strong voice, but doesn't have the earthiness to lift this number off the ground. As a café waitress, Maisie Twesme sweetly sings "Doatsy Mae," confessing that she'd have preferred a more exciting life—maybe, even, trading places with Miss Mona. The ensemble, as the ladies of the Chicken Ranch, townspeople, Thorpe's Dogettes, cheerleaders, and football players, all perform with spirit, and serve as extensions of the main storyline. Their singing overall is stronger than their dancing, with the exception of the well-executed "Aggie Song."

The decision to have the actresses who play the prostitutes don head scarves to become townspeople is more of a distraction than a clever costuming ploy. Otherwise, the costumes are well thought out and capture the spirit of each character, a nice range of sexy attire for the ladies, and in particular Mona's outfits that put her in a class above the other Chicken Ranch gals. The setting provides a good backdrop for the brothel, complete with red flocking on the wallpaper, though the visibly shaky walls made me wonder if the Chicken Ranch would fall down before it was shut down.

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas is a multi-faceted show. It is a comedic look at small-town life in Texas, circa 1973; a sharp satire on the way media manipulates public opinion and frames the issues; a tender-hearted tale of unspoken, unrealized love between a madame and a sheriff; and a lively song and dance show. A great production puts a shine on all of these facets so that the total sparkle becomes more than the sum of its parts. Old Log has mounted a good, but not great, production. While the two lead performances are strong and several numbers hit the mark, the physical production, staging, and some supporting performance are passable, but not winning. Still, at its core, this solid, funny, and musically well-endowed show captures the odd ways in which America's culture wars have been fought. Especially for those who have never been, this trip back in time to the Chicken Ranch is worth taking.

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas continues through August 29, 2015, at Old Log Theatre, 5185 Meadville Street, Excelsior, MN. Tickets are $24.00 - $35.00, $16.00 for students with valid IDs, $2.00 per ticket service fee for phone and on-line ticket sales. For tickets call 952-474-5951 or go to www.oldlog.com.

Book: Larry L. King; Music and Lyrics: Carol Hall; Based on a story by: Larry L. King; Director: R. Kent Knutson; Music Director and Conductor: John Lynn; Scenic and Lighting Designer: Erik Paulson; Costume Designer: Sara Wilcox; Sound Designer: Jeff Geisler; Dialect Coach: Foster Johns; Hair Stylist: Stefanie Vilaseca; Tammara Melloy: Set Decorator; Stage Manager: Aaron P. Wheeler

Cast: Julia Cook (Miss Mona), Stephanie Cousins (Beatrice), James Denton (Football Announcer, Voiceover), Greg Eiden (Senator Wingwoah/C.J. Scruggs), Kaylyn Forkey (Ruby Rae), John Paul Gamoke (Governor), Jon Andrew Hegge (Melvin P. Thorpe), Johna Miller (Shy), Eric Morris (Edsel Mackey), Britta Ollmann (Angel) Alannah Renstrom (Durla), Whitney Rhodes (Jewel), Carolyn Schmitz (Linda Lou), Jefferson Slinkard (Ed Earl Dodd), Jami Snively (Dawn), Maisie Twesme (Doatsy Mae), Stefanie Vilaseca (Ginger), Brian Winter (Mayor Rufus Poindexter), Nikki Zwolski (Taddy Jo)

Ensemble: Mathias Becker, Lars Lee, Philip C. Matthews, Kole Nelson, Elander Rosser, Riley Thomas Weber, Phillip Wenderoth


Photo: Courtesy Old Log Theatre


- Arthur Dorman


Also see the season schedule for the Minneapolis - St. Paul region