Shelby's Social Diary
Tequila, a taco truck and blowouts make Stages trailer park bash a show-stoppingsuccess
Since the opening of Stages’ The Great American Trailer Park Musical earlier this month, the theater has been grooving on doublewide kitsch, beginning with a trailer park-themed launch party at Lucho and continuing Tuesday night with a related bash at the theater.
The most recent fete was geared to stir up interest in Stages Repertorty Theatre among a young professional crowd. The youthful counterpart to Stages’ Impresario support group is yet to be named. Look for a Facebook contest coming soon.
For a $100 join-up fee, members of the new team are treated to four special events throughout the year. The trailer park fete, in which guests were invited to dress in their pre-fab best, was the first. Heading the new group is Stephanie Tabbah, who was signing up guys and dolls at the check-in table.
Throughout the run of the musical, which has proven so popular that it could be extended beyond the original July 24 closing date, Stages has partnered for these themed events with Camarena Tequila and Hugo's, which is providing Mexico City-style party food prepared in the swank Camarena Taco Truck. Tuesday night, handsome young waiters passed trays of tequila-laced taquitos and plantain empanadas while the Camarena team mixed potent margaritas and virgin pink lemonades.
Stages producing artistic director Kenn McLaughlin explained of this summer's whacky musical production, "It is not high art, but if low-brow material makes 'em laugh, what the heck! I'm an entertainer."
The low-brow approach made for a clever party scene particularly in the corner where a line of stylists from the Do Bar, set to open shortly in West Ave, transformed tired, heat-weary locks into inspired coiffures or trailer park bouffants, guest's preference.
Among those taking in the theatrical scene were Libby Cagle, Stages interim development director, plus George Lancaster, Liz Gorman, Neal Hamil, Nathan Kasselder, Amy Willerson, Katie Pettiette, Nick Espinosa, Carlos Meltzer Malori Isham, Holly DeMaster and Allison Teague.