Beach Blanket Babylon

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Beach Blanket Babylon
30th Anniversary poster
Productions	San Francisco 1974–present London 1994 Las Vegas 1999

Steve Silver's Beach Blanket Babylon is America's longest-running musical revue. The show began its run in 1974, at Club Savoy Tivoli and has since moved to the larger Club Fugazi in the North Beach district of San Francisco.

The show was created by Steve Silver (1944-1995) and continues under the direction of his wife, Jo Schuman Silver with frequent changes and spoofs of pop and political culture. Performers wear disproportionately large hats/wigs and gaudy costumes while performing satirical renditions of popular songs.

Plot summary

Beach Blanket Babylon follows Snow White as she takes a fast-paced journey around the world in search of her “Prince Charming”. Along the way she encounters a large group of figures from popular culture, who together perform satirical songs. Figures lampooned include politicians and political figures from the San Francisco, California and U.S. governments, film and television stars, famous singers and athletes, and others who have been in the news. Also present are long-running characters such as Glinda the Good Witch, Mr. Peanut, Louis XIV, Oprah Winfrey, James Brown, Tina Turner, Carmen Miranda, Elvis Presley, a band of dancing French Poodles, and Snow White's tour guide, a female narrator who takes on several incarnations from an Italian pizza lady to a cowgirl.

Reviews

The show was described as “A constant cascade of showstoppers” by the San Francisco Chronicle in 2010,^[1]

Awards and accolades

The section of Green Street between Columbus Avenue and Powell Street was renamed "Beach Blanket Babylon Boulevard", in honor of the show.

Current cast

Curt Branom
Stephen Brennan
Paulino Duran
Shawna Ferris
Jacqui Heck
Renee Lubin
Tammy Nelson
Doug Magpiong
Kenny Mazlow
Brendon North
Ellen Toscano
Albert Hodge
Misa Malone
Malinda DeRouen
Kirk Mills
Christopher Goodwin
Rena Wilson
Isaiah Tyrelle Boyd

Current production team

Steve Silver (Creator)
Jo Schuman Silver (Producer, Writer)
Kenny Mazlow (Director, Writer, Choreographer)
John Francis Camajani (Stage Manager)
Tom Schueneman (Sound Designer, Audio Engineer)
Jayne Serba (Costume Shop Manager, Additional Costume Design/Construction)
Mark Reina (Assistant Director, Choreographer)
Matthew James (Prop/Hat Construction, Technical Assistant)
Bill Keck (Music Director/Conductor, Musical Argts.)

Former cast and alumni

Ellyn Marie Marsh 2002-2003 (performer) [Barbra Streisand, Britney Spears, Hillary Clinton, Pineapple Princess]
Michael Benbrook - 1986–1993 (Performer) - King Louis XIV^[2]
Nancy Bleiweiss - 1974–1977 (Performer) - Carmen Miranda, Opera Divas, Glinda the Good Witch^[3]
Val Diamond - 1979–2009 (Performer) - Alexis Carrington Colby, Gidget, Gandhi, Queen Elizabeth II, Jewish mother, Marie Antoinette, French whore, "San Francisco" Finale Chanteuse^[4]
Chris March - 1990–2000? (Costume/Hat/Wig Designer; Performer) - Elizabeth Taylor, Wonder Woman, Monica Lewinsky^[5]
Ledisi Young - 1990–2001 (Performer)^[6]
Glenda Glayzer- 1975-1979 (Performer) Am I Blue
John Bush - 1980 - 1981 (Performer)
Jeff Robertson - 1980 - 1981 (Performer)
Teresa Leonard - 1980 - 1981 (Performer)
Jill Shutt - 1989 - 1992 (Val's Understudy)
Tony Michaels - 1974 (Beach Blanket Babylon at Club Olympus) (Performer)
Tony Michaels - 1975 - 1978 (Beach Blanket Babylon Goes Bananas!) (Performer)
Rick Roemer - 1977-1979 (Beach Blanket Bablyon Goes to the Stars!) (Performer)

Tours

Two tours have been produced, in London and Las Vegas, in celebration of Beach Blanket's 20th and 25th anniversaries. The show also has a smaller touring cast that caters primarily to corporate events and parties around the world.

Linda Bulgo (Performer)
Chris Giroux (Performer)
Ellen Toscano (Performer)
Gus Kambeitz (Musician)
Suzanna Perez (Musician)

London:

Val Diamond
Doug Magpiong
Tony Stroh
Erica Wyman
Dana Adkins
Tony Tripoli
Renee Lubin
Cristina VanValkenburg
Lisa Burnett Bossi
Stirland Martin
Kenny Mazlow

References

↑ Robert Hurwitt (April 29, 2010). "Hats off to 'Babylon' for steady musical laughs". The San Francisco Chronicle.
↑ Steven Winn (August 7, 2003). "Michael Benbrook - 'Beach Blanket' drag performer". The San Francisco Chronicle.
↑ Jesse Hamlin (August 1, 1999). "Nancy Bleiweiss' Post-`Beach' Travels". The San Francisco Chronicle.
↑ Edward Guthmann (December 30, 2008). "Val Diamond rolls with 'Beach Blanket' changes". The San Francisco Chronicle.
↑ Sylvia Rubin (January 13, 2008). "Chris March's gown fit for a prom queen". The San Francisco Chronicle.
↑ Joshunda Sanders (July 7, 2002). "Ledisi's voice is so big, it works without a deal". The San Francisco Chronicle.

External links

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