Yes, yes, yes, and more!
"Kick And Scream Savannah: A Graveyard Smash" had intrigued me with its title, just as Tomasz' vampire film had last week.
That's why I've had my ticket to it since September 19th.
For real!
Of course, it helped that it was free!!!
I didn't know just what to expect, but I knew it would be fun, so that was for me!
Plus, the phrase "a graveyard smash" made me think of the song "Monster Mash", so I expected to see some dancing... and that's my jam for sure!
What it turned out to be was a celebration of the different classes taught there at the Savannah Cultural Arts Center.
Yes, there was dance!
But there were also charcoal drawings and sketch comedy and even a couple of women keeping up with it all via sign language for anyone hard of hearing!
The highlight, and star of the show, was "Boris", which happened to be the nickname of the guy who wrote "Monster Mash" in 1962.
Coincidence?
Perhaps!
I'll have to ask Cameron Frost about that.
He's the one who designed and sculpted "Boris", using ceramic for his head and hands, with three people operating the puppet behind its black cape.
He told me about it when he greeted me while I was in the line of folks waiting to get in.
What a treat to see my former student again!!!
I always enjoy our encounters so much!
He even came up to me after the show, too!
Isn't he such a sweetie!
I just loved that he gave me that great grin and thumbs-up while posing for that photo!
(smile!)
So, here's the plot: "Boris" has commanded that his minions - Winston with the purple head, Paul with the green head, and Cynthia in the tutu - to gather a crowd for his feast.
They enlist the aid of a Brazilian drum corp, who lure us in with their "Skeleton Samba".
Very nice, with different tempos to satisfy everyone!
Then came a series of dance troupes, with a variety of moves to entice us.
First came a bit of musical theatre about "The Whole Being Dead Thing" - very funny, with shades of Beetlejuice in their clothing!
Next up was a hiphop group, having a "Monster Block Party" right onstage!
I very much liked that!
A ballet followed with a "Requiem For Forgotten Souls", then came a contemporary set that proclaimed "I Am Human", before another ballet brought "Me And The Devil".
A former Hospice nurse came after all that activity and told us the story of one of her clients from a few years back.
That had been the case of the woman who would not die, taking a breath every four or five minutes for over four hours, before finally expiring.
That had been very startling for the nurse, as she had not encountered such behavior yet in her career.
It had certainly been startling for many in the audience, too, but not me.
(I had remembered when Mother Pat was dying that she'd resisted going until her son and I had departed to a shop for a book of poetry to read to her.)
A jazz dance version of "Conga" followed to liven things back up.
Then... surprise!!!
Jayme Tinti, of Savannah Stage Company, was on the stage!!!
That's her, in the middle, between the bearded man and the trio of others.
I later found out that was her mom and her brother and two others up there with her, for a sketch called "Electric Chair".
How electrifying it was, too, with a great light show!!!
Another series of dances followed: "Play With Me", involving acrobatics; a pair of "Mummies", doing amazing tap dancing; and a risque troupe in high heels and not much else for "Call Of The Coven".
Wow!
That's when I understood the PG-15 rating for the show!
A delightful skit followed, featuring Jayme's mom as a soothsayer with an "Eye Into The Future", as she helped her gold-digging son land a wife.
I laughed and laughed at that one!
Next was another hiphop number, "Succubus Frenzy", before a comedian came out.
What is a skeleton's favorite jazz instrument?
A trom-BONE.
Where is a skeleton's favorite place to go?
Anywhere that's a real HIP JOINT.
Hahahaha!
He had two "knock knock" jokes, too, but I can't remember them.
That was all designed to buy time for the final number, "The Bloody Feast", with all of the dance troupes on stage together!
How magnificent!!!
And Jayme came right up to me and gave me a huge hug!!!
She'd heard me laughing and had searched me out!!!
(smile!)
Then Cameron came right up to me and posed with "Boris"!
(smile!)
And I was amazed to find that two hours had gone by in a flash!
Time does fly when you're having fun!!!
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