‘Disaster!’ @ Theatre Frisco
Photography by Alex Rain
Carol M. Rice
The 1970s were a...unique time when it came to entertainment. Disco was king and disaster movies ruled not only the big screen but also prime time TV. As a classic movie buff, I’ve seen quite a few of these films and most of them left me rolling my eyes and scratching my head. Why was this genre so popular? It had a pretty short shelf life, though—so maybe it wasn’t just me.
Fortunately, my taste in ‘70s entertainment (or lack thereof, depending on who you talk to) was not that of Seth Rudetsky, who came up with the concept of Disaster! Written by Rudetsky and Jack Plotnick, the hilarious plot hits on just about every disaster movie trope there is and pairs it with hit songs from the era.
Thomas Schnaible is the undisputed star of Disaster! as Chad. With his lanky frame and shaggy long hair, he looks the part, completely rocks the song stylings of the day, and has given Chad the perfect “cool player” attitude and speaking voice. He is adept at the melodramatic acting style necessary to pull off Disaster Mode, and his songs—especially “Without You”—are brilliant. Schnaible has a phenomenal voice and handles all the different genres easily.
He also has great chemistry with Krystal Rodriguez as Marianne. While her performance is much more subdued, she is also playing a no-nonsense “modern woman” who has chosen her career over marriage and insists on Ms. over Miss. Rodriguez does have a powerhouse voice and once Marianne admits her love for Chad, she lightens up a bit. Their duet, “I’d Really Like to See You Tonight” is funny and sweet.
Jacob Bishop plays Scott, a waiter who’s the whole reason Chad is there in the first place. He plays the typical nerdy friend and because he’s just the lead’s buddy, he naturally doesn’t make it to the end alive. Bishop, however, transforms into another guest on the ship and slips easily into the ensemble.
As Tony, the crooked owner of the Barracuda, a floating casino and discothèque, Mikey Abrams steals every scene he’s in (and that green, sparkly jacket he starts off in is incredible!). Tony has cut every corner imaginable to get the casino open on time, and Abrams’ snarky, devil-may-care attitude about it all is exactly what the character calls for. We also get to see a little vulnerability from him, and his “Don’t Cry Out Loud” somehow manages to be touching and hysterical at the same time.
Ken O’Reilly brings pseudo-seriousness to the proceedings as Ted, a “disaster expert” who warns the unsuspecting guests that the ship was built on a fault line, and earthquakes are imminent. That, coupled with Tony’s many shortcuts, will surely end in tragedy. Naturally no one listens to Ted...except nightclub singer Jackie, played by Andrea Fernandez Tom. She’s a single mom with 11-year-old twins who’s hoping Tony will finally propose, but she really just wants a man by her side, and Ted could fill the bill.
As Jackie’s twins Ben and Lisa, Robin Clayton magically pops in and out of the scenes in a hair bow and glasses as Lisa and a baseball cap as Ben. (A dummy stands in during the scenes in which they both appear.) Clayton gives them different voices, even while singing, which adds to the fun.
Josh Hepola and Kristal Reed portray Shirley and Maury Summers, who are celebrating Maury's retirement. They are very much in love, and Hepola and Reed do a lovely job with their devoted relationship. Unfortunately (of course), Shirley has been diagnosed with a terminal disease she has kept from Maury, though she reveals this news to Sister Mary Downy, a nun with a gambling addiction played with great silliness by Andi Allen. As Shirley’s symptoms get worse, Reed and Allen bond as the nun tries to help her through it. Naturally (since this is a disaster comedy), Shirley offers the ultimate sacrifice to save some of the others.
As Levora Verona, Noelle Saul is a former singing star who doesn’t realize she’s a has-been, despite the fact that she can’t even pay her cab fare. Her goal is to win big at the casino. Saul’s performance comes across as more angry than diva, but when she loses her beloved dog Baby her histrionics are lots of fun to watch.
The talented ensemble plays all the other roles in the show, and while they do a good job, it seems like there should be more of them—since the dialogue constantly comments on how overcrowded it is on the Barracuda.
Director Neale Whitmore has utilized every inch of the thrust stage at the Frisco Discovery Center’s theatre space, including the corners. This sometimes makes it hard to see what’s going on. The lack of set (other than the platform for the band) plus the limitations of the space also make it hard to tell what's happening with regard to the wave of oncoming disasters, despite the sound effects provided by Andi Allen. While turning the “Casino” sign upside down is cute when the boat has overturned, it’s just not quite enough…since the band is still upright.
Speaking of the band, musical director Joey O’Reilly expertly leads the seven-member band while pounding a keyboard AND playing the saxophone. (Second keyboard is handled by Kurt Hilsabeck.) He truly is an exceptional musician who knows how to get the most out of the singer/actors and the instrumentalists.
Amy Cave’s choreography is energetic and period appropriate, with many nods to the disco era, aided by the ‘70s costumes by Michael Robinson and Dallas Costume Shoppe.
Disaster! is one of those jukebox musicals that preys on nostalgia, and it succeeds in spades. There’s nothing complex to think about, and it’s a lot of fun to watch. I do wish that some of the best songs weren’t mere snippets, but that’s a problem with the book rather than Theatre Frisco’s production.
WHEN: July 25-August 10, 2025
WHERE Frisco Discovery Center (theater inside), 8004 Dallas North Tollway, Frisco TX
WEB: theatrefrisco.com
