THE PLAY: This raucous rock musical takes us to Andy Warhol’s factory around the time he got shot. Some of his “superstars” reveal their vulnerabilities and need for his approval.
THE PRODUCTION: Director Jase Smith has a penchant for raunchy, campy shows, which he knows how to stage with frantic energy. Unfortunately, this play doesn’t give him enough to work with. The narrative thread is frayed and the songs are more patter than melody. It doesn’t help that the onstage band consistently drowns out the ensemble numbers, which means understanding the lyrics is a challenge. John Mincks is a amusingly deadpan Andy. Ian Stearns makes a sassy Candy Darling (although too vocally manly, the real thing was very delicate) and Audra Honaker has a show-stopping second-act number. The rest of the cast is competent. The “factory” set provides lots of levels and the lighting adds flash.
THE POINT: Despite all the raucous energy and campy fun, the overall effect is jumbled, noisy chaos.