The Big Ever After

BEAtitleThe Big Ever After

Comedy

Length – 100 minutes
Cast – 6 males, 6 females

Synopsis – When an earthquake opens up between Fairy Tale Land and Pulp Novel land, a few pivotal characters fall into the crack and land in each other stories, resulting in new ways to tell traditional favorites.

 

The Big Ever After is a crowd pleasing comedy that bends genres such as Fairy Tale and Pulp Novels in exciting ways

The Big Ever After is a smart and funny comedy that provides 21 terrific roles to satisfy a large ensemble of actors (12 in the cast.)

In Pulp Land, hard boiled film noir Detective Galliant has his hands full with Cinderella, who has fallen into his story of “Detective Galliant and The Case Of The Bouncing Betty.” Cinderella does not resemble the blonde mattress tester Betty, but Detective Galliant feels his stone cold cynical heart melting at the sight of the plucky girl who is ready for adventure, now that she is free from the story that has her continually running away from a Prince Charming she is not in love with anymore.

Cinderella’s stepsisters, Annabelle and Sarianne, meanwhile, have fallen into a classic noir story, “The Leather Girls,” and delight themselves with new tools with which they can inflict torture on unsuspecting males.

With Carlos Larkin (Mr. Holden) and Anna Quirino-Miranda (Red Riding Hood) THE BIG EVER AFTER, Playwrights 6/ Ark Theatre Company, July 2009. Photo by Richard Tatum.

With Carlos Larkin (Mr. Holden) and Anna Quirino-Miranda (Red Riding Hood) THE BIG EVER AFTER, Playwrights 6/ Ark Theatre Company, July 2009. Photo by Richard Tatum.

Red Riding Hood has to contend with a lecherous high school English teacher Mr. Holden, who goes weak in the knees at the sight of Red’s cloak. He’s able to lure Red Riding Hood off her path, and schools her in the art of more carnal delights.

Anne Bluebeard (from the Bluebeard fairy tale) finds herself caring for dumb lug boxer Mickey, unaware that the girlfriend/femme fatale role in Mickey’s storyline double crosses him with Chester, Mickey’s mean and evil boxing opponent.

With Amy Tofte (Bouncing Betty) and David Stevens (Prince Charming), THE BIG EVER AFTER, Playwrights 6/ Ark Theatre Company, July 2009. Photo by Richard Tatum.

With Amy Tofte (Bouncing Betty) and David Stevens (Prince Charming), THE BIG EVER AFTER, Playwrights 6/ Ark Theatre Company, July 2009. Photo by Richard Tatum.

Over in Fairy Tale Land, Bouncing Betty, the mattress tester from “Detective Galliant and The Case Of The Bouncing Betty” locks eyes with Prince Charming and it’s true love for both. But scheming duo Daisy and Rhonda from “The Leather Girls” plot to steal Prince Charming, their first shot at royalty, away from the loveable ditz.

Dina, the Juvenile Delinquent, finds herself matching wits with a beleaguered Wolf, who can’t understand what to do with a woman who won’t step off the path like the story dictates.

With Fredric T. Rooney (Bluebeard) and Annmarie Hehir (Judy), THE BIG EVER AFTER, Playwrights 6/ Ark Theatre Company, July 2009. Photo by Richard Tatum.

With Fredric T. Rooney (Bluebeard) and Annmarie Hehir (Judy), THE BIG EVER AFTER, Playwrights 6/ Ark Theatre Company, July 2009. Photo by Richard Tatum.

And much like the Wolf, Bluebeard finds his violent tendencies frustratingly stymied when his new bride Judy (Mickey’s femme fatale) won’t open the closet door, content to amuse herself with Bluebeard’s riches and jewels.

How will these characters get back? DO these character want to get back? And how will the stories they’ve altered get back on track? Or do they?

Adding to the fun of “The Big Ever After” is that eight of the twelve roles are designed to be doppelgangers of each other. Building on the theory that there’s a light and a dark side in most of the characters, the actress playing sweet Red Riding Hood will also be playing her wilder half Dina the Juvenile Delinquent. The actress playing femme fatale Judy will also be playing milder Anne Bluebeard. The actor playing evil boxer Chester will also be playing Anne Bluebeard’s befuddled brother Phillip. The actor playing loveable lug boxer Mickey will be playing the murderous Bluebeard.

Productions – February – April 2005 Ark Theatre Company Co-production with Playwrights 6 & Ark Theatre Company

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