“Dan Dixon” Is the Ultimate In ‘Groovy’ Science Fiction Comedy - Fun and Nostalgic!”
Quick, jump into your turbo-charged interplanetary hyper-drive activated space hopper and head for these galactic coordinates – North Hollywood – (Beep, Beep) - Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre- (Beep, Beep) for a wild sci-fi blast from the psychedelic past comedy romp called “Captain Dan Dixon vs. The Moth Sluts From the Fifth Dimension.” It’s a nostalgic roller-coaster ride into a live, sci-fi, serial-like production that will make you laugh out loud! Even their poster art is reminiscent of the old 50s serials which makes it that much more fun!
Matthew Sklar wrote this production several years back and has revived it with more of a fresh comedic style that takes every 50s sci-fi film cliché and turns it on its end. Amazingly timed, staged and designed by director Sebastian Munoz, this production uses lights, sounds, music, dance and a really hysterical (double entendre filled) story that will surprise you and leave you wanting more. With fantastic original costuming by Corey Zicari and Jeri Batzdorff and some realistically period props by R. Benjamin Warren, you will think you are sitting in front of an old TV watching a real sci-fi serial of the 50s.
Did I mention Captain Dan Dixon is also played by Matthew Sklar? Not only did he write the piece, Matthew plays the Captain as real as it gets and even in the most extremely bizarre and ridiculously hysterical sexual moments, he plays it as if his real mission is too really save planet Earth from these Moth Sluts from the 5th Dimension! In fact he and his whole crew are having so much fun, I truly believe their peril is our peril as an audience. What if these green painted nymphos actually make it to Earth? Ahhhhhhh!
Tyler Koster does such a hysterical personification of a nerdy crewman named Virgil who is teased by most of his crew, while Vincent Cusimano plays the more self-centered Hashimoto with an egotistical flair. And you what would be any trip through outer space without your resident bible-pusher named Sterling proudly played by R. Benjamin Warren who is always at odds with your wannabe stud Casey so energetically obnoxious and played by Jerry Chappell you sometimes want to slap the living daylights out of him. Oh did I mention the overly excited, yet almost philosophical chef name Chow, so charmingly played by David Wyn Harris? Keep an eye on Tyler and Vincent as they have quite the on stage chemistry that leads to some of the most hysterical moments.
Now what would be a spaceship without your resident science expert and super genius? Well that’s why Jonica Patella is masterfully playing Dr. Cunigulus. She uses her technological and mathematical wizardry to foil our seemingly innocent “Moth Sluts.” Matthew and Jonica are just a real treat to watch as they play their roles with gusto and determination and they do it while keeping in character with some of the most hysterical 50s sci-fi-esque dialogue I’ve ever heard. Oh, and lastly you certainly cannot have an intergalactic spaceship without your own android/robot. Now could you? No, really, could you? Urania is the robot of your choice. She is magnificently played by Gloria Baraquio who does a supreme job of playing an almost unemotional machine with issues.
Now for the baddies: (That’s a British term for the ‘Bad Guys’). Leading the group of green painted mistresses of Moth (and sexy too) is Katherine Canipe as Empress Syphla who has super ‘Mothtastic’ chemistry with Matthew as Captain Dan. (Okay, I made up that word.) Her powers and silky slyness lead the crew into a circumstance you soon won’t forget. Vickbelle is the Empress daughter and is so timidly and innocently played by Heldine Aguiluz who along with the seductive Corey Zicari as Luna, the vivacious Vivi Varon as Polyphema, the tantalizing Courtney Bandeko as Antheraea and the erotically charge Caroline Montes as Cecropia are all on a mission to take over their victims by doing something, rather disgusting (yet charming in a weird way) to their brains! You’ll have to see it to find out, but small spoiler – Heldine is like a double-edged sword! Watch out!
By the way, are you catching the cleverness of all their names? The play does contain some mature themes and mature visuals, but definitely a lot of fun times will be had by all who see it. It reminded me a lot of a really well done SNL skit, but longer and funnier! Matthew Sklar did an amazing job at writing one of the most humorous pieces of sci-fi nostalgia I’ve ever seen on stage and, together with Sebastian Munoz’s directing sharpness and lighting touches, Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre triumphs again with “Captain Dan Dixon vs. The Moth Sluts From the Fifth Dimension”.. You gotta see this one! Check them out at www.ZombieJoes.com.
PHOTO (Top, Left to Right)- HELDINE AGUILUZ, COURTNEY BANDEKO, CAROLINE MONTES, COREY ZICARI, VIVI VARON; (Center, Left to Right)- GLORIA BARAQUIO, JONICA PATELLA, MATTHEW SKLAR, KATHERINE CANIPE; (Bottom, Left to Right)- DAVID WYN HARRIS, R. BENJAMIN WARREN, TYLER KOSTER, JERRY CHAPPELL, VINCENT CUSIMANO.
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