Back It Up Productions produces the show, with book, music and lyrics by D'Arcy Drollinger, directed by John Ficarra and musical-directed by Dana Haynes.
"Imagine a world where Ivana Trump and Jocelyn Wildenstein enter 'The Matrix,' where Nan Kempner becomes 'Le Femme Nikita' and 'the ladies who lunch' moonlight as lethal assassins," invites the production announcement. Billed as a mix of "The Manchurian Candidate" and "The Stepford Wives," Scalpel "examines two great American obsessions: beauty and conspiracy. This darkly comedic rock and roll thriller delights in a world where money can and does buy anything: a smoother face, a better body, a dead opponent."
Set in modern-day Manhattan, Scalpel "follows socialites Jacquelyn Tilton (Laura LeBleu) and her two best friends Pepper and Fritzy (played by Anne Gaynor and Candis Cayne) as they battle the aging process with the help of Dr. Bulgari (Michael Francis Stromar), the cosmetic surgeon that is suddenly all the rage. Jacquelyn's world begins to fall apart as she stumbles upon a covert government conspiracy surrounding her inner-circle of the wealthy elite. The scheme: to create a 'sleeper army' of female assassins by implanting unsuspecting women with microchips during routine plastic surgery. Jacquelyn's problems worsen as she tries desperately to stop the evil plot. But how do you stop these killers when you’re one of them?"
Drollinger's works include Pink Elephants, Above and Beyond the Valley of the Ultra Showgirls, Suburbia 3000, The Possession of Mrs. Jones and The Cereal Killers.
His other credits include choreography and direction for RuPaul (VH-1's "Divas 2000"), original music for Nash Bridges (starring Don Johnson), co-producing and starring in School House Rock Live and co-founding the critically-acclaimed pop group ENRIQUE. Drollinger has received a John Simms Fellowship, participates in the BMI Musical Theatre Workshop and is a member of The Dramatists Guild of America. Special-effects make-up is by artist Phatima and fight choreography is by Combat Inc.
The cast also includes Arley Tapirian, Brian Kuchta, Brandon Olson, Clayton Dean Smith, John Patrick Kelly & Michael Blatt.
Wings Theatre is located at 154 Christopher Street (between Greenwich and Washington). Tickets are $15. For information, call(212) 279-4488 or visit www.fringenyc.org.
