Satirical Singer Songwrite Tom Lehrer brings out a little Tomfoolery in all of us! And LNT brings it out July 7-24!
“Tomfoolery” a celebration of all things Tom Lehrer
July 7-24
The cast of Tomfoolery include (clockwise from left: Carol Spradling, Bill Pelton, Nick Bombicino & Kathleen Keenan.
photo courtesy of Robert Eddy, First Light Studios)
His, sometimes scathing and sometimes silly, satire won him legions of fans around the world.
“I know there are people who don’t love their fellow man and I Hate people like that.” -Tom Lehrer
Welcome to the witty, wildly wicked and thoroughly twisted world of famed satirical songwriter Tom Lehrer in Tomfoolery – presented by Lost Nation Theater, your award-winning professional theater,
Thursdays–Sundays, July 7–24 at Montpelier City Hall Arts Center.
One Heck of a good time is in store!
It’s sex, politics and humor, as seen through the eyes of Tom Lehrer in Tomfoolery - a laughter-filled musical revue featuring about 30 of his best loved songs – like “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park” “Masochism Tango” and “Vatican Rag.” No one and nothing is sacred for Tom Lehrer or in Tomfoolery!
Time Magazine raves “Brilliant!” Daniel Radcliffe (of Harry Potter fame) gushes "The funniest and cleverest man alive... he's my hero!"
The mathematical genius piano-playing professor started out (about age 16) playing for college friends and parties. But soon his ridiculously clever – both searing and silly – lyrics and wonderfully hummable tunes won him legions of loyal fans not just in the US, but around the world. He said “Irreverence is easy. What’s hard is Wit.”
Under the direction of Tim Tavcar (joining LNT for his 19th season), Tomfoolery will be full of visual and verbal fun. The show follows the major moments of Mr. Lehrer’s life through some of his most vigorous words and melodies. Tavcar revels in Lehrer’s delicious wordplay in the songs themselves and the introductions to them. Previously Tim has directed such shows as Sweeney Todd, Side by Side by Sondheim, and Always Patsy Cline for LNT. He’s reunited with scenic & lighting designer Ellen E. Jones on the show, who transforms LNT into a late ‘50’s coffee house. Charis Churchill designs the costumes with a nod to period and appropriate quirkiness.
The cast of four includes the show’s musical director Nick Bombicino (recently music director of LNT’s smash Hairspray), singer-songwriter Kathleen Keenan (who last season portrayed Patsy Cline in Always, Patsy Cline), William Pelton (who received raves as Wilbur in LNT’s Hairspray) and Singer, JSC voice teacher, and actor Carol Spradling whose work with LNT includes 1940’s Radio Hour and Musical of Musicals: the Musical.
Carol Spradling says “If it weren’t for Tom Lehrer, Broadway shows like Something Rotten, Book of Morman, or Avenue Q, would simply not exist. He paved the way for that kind of self-aware/self-referencing humor. I’m obsessed with this guy!”
Kathleen Keenan, also LNT’s Artistic Director, offers – “Imagine Victor Borge, Arlo Guthrie, (South Park’s) Trey Parker and Jon Stewart had a baby: that’s Tom Lehrer. A faulty analogy because Lehrer is older than Parker & Stewart, but you get the idea!”
A counter-cultural icon in the late 1950’s and 60’s, Lehrer used razor sharp wordplay & toe-tapping melodies to take deadly aim at some of the country’s most beloved and also taboo topics. His dark humor and scathing satire had audiences roaring with laughter and shocking them to see realities of hot button issues in the United States in those tumultuous times, many of which are still with us today. Nuclear proliferation, racism, intolerance, the military/industrial complex, pornography, drug use and the pointless platitudes of would be activists, are just a few of the topics skewered by his scathing, satirical words and music. Tomfoolery even includes a sprinkling of the lesser-known, sunnier tunes (sung by Morgan Freeman & Rita Moreno) Lehrer wrote for the 1970’s kids education television show – The Electric Company.
Director Tavcar sums it up:
“Who couldn’t love a show like Tomfoolery? There’s satire, sarcasm, silliness, savage humor and sexual innuendo– something for everyone (and something to offend everyone)!!”
You’ll leave smiling and laughing!
See it. Thursday-Sunday, July 7-24. Curtain is:7:30pm Thu thru Saturday and 2pm Sun. Tickets are: $30 Fri & Sat; $25 Thu & Sun. Special tickets Preview Thu July 7: $15. Students & seniors (age 65): $5 Off. (Not recommended for children)
Join the Party on Opening Night Friday July 8 with live music featuring Robin Russell and Mike Fiorillo of LNT's STONE.
Lost Nation Theater is wheelchair accessible, and offers an assisted listening system.
Call! Go Online! Or get tickets at the City Clerk’s Office on the first floor of Montpelier City Hall. Or take a chance on getting tickets at the door. (1 hour before curtain). For tickets & information: call 802-229-0492, or click here
Lost Nation Theater: winner “Best in New England”- Yankee Magazine, and named One of the Best Regional Theaters in America by NYC Drama League is Sponsored by Capitol Copy, City of Montpelier, Eternity Web, National Life Group, WDEV, The Times Argus, and The Point-FM.