They don't write em like they used to, at least some of em don't. But even while the lost Broadway of yore is lamented, you can count on Dirty Little Showtunes! to goose it again. And again. And again. According to a program note for its latest incarnation at New Conservatory Theatre Center, this is the parody musical's 16th production since its debut 16 years ago. It's been a real nice clambake.
The show has been around long enough that it has become something of a social barometer for gay life. Same-sex marriage, gay adoption, and smart-phone hookups are current topics now explored through classic Broadway melodies, and lyricist Tom Orr's talents at cleverly, wickedly finding the right words remain as sharp as ever. And director F. Allen Sawyer, who also conceived the original 1997 production, knows how to bring extra laughs to the material.
There are carryovers from previous productions, and if the topical relevance no longer feels fresh, many Dirty Little fans would likely feel shortchanged if they were omitted. We must, of course, have David Bicha singing "I Am the Very Model of a Modern Homosexual," his surefire, rapid-fire variation on Gilbert and Sullivan. And the leather men/drag queen medley is a classic, if somehow less robust this time around in Jayne Zaban's choreography.
The cast seems to have lost a member since the program went to press, which may help explain some of the reduced circumstances, and not all of the current performers possess vivid stage personae. But there are no reservations about Rotimi Agbabiaka's performance of "The Music and the Makeup," a hilarious lip-syncing drag queen's anthem that takes its inspiration from A Chorus Line. And there are shining moments for each cast member, a group that includes Jesse Cortez and Randy Noak in addition to Orr, Bicha, and Agbabiaka. A happy surprise is musical director Scrumbly Koldewyn's move from piano to stage to open the second act with a Mary Poppins rift on theatrical superstitions.
While there are new numbers in this staging of Dirty Little Showtunes!, they are mainly set to older musical melodies. When the revue arises again (as surely it must), it might be fun to bring recent Broadway into the ribald mix. Spring Awakening, Billy Elliot, Matilda, Spiderman, and The Book of Mormon, to name a few, have a myriad of possibilities. And just imagine what Orr, Sawyer, and company could do with Kinky Boots.
Dirty Little Showtunes! will run at New Conservatory Theatre Center through Nov. 10. Tickets are $25-$45. Call 861-8972 or go to nctcsf.org.