It's a sweet story about a young girl who is following her dream. When she finally reaches it, her parents disapprove. So, she had to raise the money for the trip on her own. Her friends, sympathizing with their pal's plight, decide to pitch in and lend a helping hand.
The story is that of the Texas Cowgirl Cheerleader wanna-be in Debbie Does Dallas, which has made its way from the curtained section of video rental stores to the New York stage as part of the New York International Fringe Festival. The highly anticipated adaptation will play at downtown Manhattan's Kraine Theatre Aug. 10-19.
Producer-adapter-star of DDD Susan L. Schwartz told Playbill On-Line that the idea for the production "came out of a discussion with a friend about how funny it would be to see a porn film being read on stage." A year later, the film-cum-stageshow is making its world premiere, following some awkward research moments. Schwartz explained "I went to the video store and I couldn't find them. So, I had to go up to the guy and I said 'Hi, do you have "Debbie Does Dallas."' He smirks and I said, 'No, it's for an Off-Off-Broadway show that I'm doing' and he goes, 'Sure it is.'"
Directing the adaptation is Brock Enright, a Columbia MFA graduate who comes from a film and art background. The cast of actors — some classically-trained — includes Matthew Armstrong, Tim Beemer, Theodore Bouloukos II, Tonya Canada, Adam Chandler, Allison Du Val, Marian Heller, Renata Hinrichs, Jonathan Hyland, Bryant MacMillan, Jill Madeo, Ariel Sheldon, Ross Steves, Gary Widlund, Theresa Young and Schwartz as Debbie.
The design team for the Sloe-Eyed Productions presentation includes Matthew Ronay (sets), Jeff McCrum (lights) and Daphne Javitch (costumes). Sloe-Eyed got its name from an article Schwartz came across about the film, "They called one of the actresses 'slow eyed' , meaning seductively charming." For more information on the show and cast, visit their website at www.debbiedoesdallas-theplay.com. For further Fringe info, visit www.fringenyc.com.
Tickets to DDD's limited run at the Kraine Theatre, 85 East Fourth Street (between 2nd & 3rd Ave.), can be purchased by calling (212) 420-8877 or (888) FringeNYC or visiting the Fringe website.
— by Ernio Hernandez
