Find yourself a drink with an umbrella in it and pull out your bathing suit, because it’s time for a beach party! This weekend, “Psycho Beach Party,” presented by Ghostlight Theater Co., is coming to the Spotlight Café at the Capitol Center for the Arts, 44 S. Main St.
“Psycho Beach Party” is a spoof on 1960s beach party/Gidget flicks with a campy-horror movie twist. In it you’ll meet Chicklet – an aspiring surfer with multiple personality disorder who may be responsible for a series of mysterious deaths. Add a cast equally as eccentric as young Chicklet, and you’ve got yourself quite the show.
We were intrigued, so co-director Jessica Goodman (Lisa DeFazio is her other directing half) agreed to answer some questions regarding both the show and the group tackling the quirky performance.
How long have you been involved with Ghostlight Theater Co.?
I’ve been with Ghostlight for about three years now. I came on board as a choreographer for their Japanese production of “Hamlet.” It has been exciting, and I am always looking forward to what’s next.
Can you tell us a little about Ghostlight?
Ghostlight just celebrated its five-year anniversary this spring. We are very excited as we just got our 501c3 nonprofit status and are looking forward to developing Ghostlight further. It’s a great company with lots of talented and dedicated people involved. The people behind Ghostlight are always looking to push the envelope on what they do. The shows run the gambit from Beckett and Shakespeare to “Night of the Living Dead” and “Cannibal the Musical.” It certainly is not your run-of-the-mill community theater.
Why “Psycho Beach Party”?
Every year in the fall we have a membership meeting and the members actually get to vote on the season. I presented a proposal for “Psycho Beach Party” and it got voted in.
Can you sum up the plot in one sentence?
Surfing Sybil shocks society by the seashore.
How do you feel about coming to the Spotlight Cafe?
We are very excited to be working with the Capitol Center for the Arts. The Spotlight Cafe is a new venue for us. We’ve done shows in Concord in the past and enjoy the welcome reception that we get.
Why should people come and see the show? What can they expect?
It’s a funny show with a great cast. Anybody willing to get up on stage in a bathing suit in the middle of November is definitely giving it their all. Our Chicklet is played by Vicky Hogan, and she has at least five different personalities during the course of the show. It is the first time we are using rear projection for part of the set and it has enabled us to do some unique things. You don’t want to miss our unique flashback scene.
We have a band, The Asylums, that will be providing a live soundtrack for the show as well as pre-show and intermission entertainment. They have done a fantastic job incorporating some fun beach classics and ’60s songs into this twisted play.
There is adult language and content in the show, so it is definitely not for the kids.
“Psycho Beach Party” will be performed Nov. 14 at 7 and 10 p.m. and Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased by calling 225-1111 or visiting ccanh.com. For more information about the show and Ghostlight Theater Co., visit gltne.org.
