Bugsy Malone is the cat's pajamas!

By Belinda Ramon

If you caught the latest summer children's musical Bugsy Malone, you will agree that it was the "cat's pajamas!" The Laredo Little Theatre and director Adalberto Chavarria have done an outstanding job with our community's young talent. Chavarria, along with his two assistant directors María Eugenia "Jeannie" Lopez and Nora Mendoza, have sprinkled their magic upon a cast of over 40 actors, all whose ages range between six and 16 years old. It's a fun-filled flapper's folly when 1920s hoodlums and gangsters collide in this Prohibition Era spoof about Fat Sam (R. J. Alexander), who runs a popular speakeasy which is being threatened by his arch enemy Dandy Dan (Roy Vasquez). Bugsy Malone (Mark Rodriguez) is the guy all the girls like. He is caught up in this world of wheelin' and dealin' who at the same time falls for showgirl Blousey (Tanya San Miguel). To make matters more confusing, Fat Sam's girlfriend Tallulah (Cassie Flores) threatens to spoil things between Bugsy and Blousey.
From start to finish, this show was fun! The cast managed to keep the audience laughing throughout with their witty and sometimes intentionally cheesy one-liners and comebacks. Vallerie Cortinas' performance as the radio announcer is an example of the kind of fresh talent that LLT is producing. Mark Rodriguez' role as Bugsy drives the cast into an equally favorable direction of well-timed comedy bits and slapstick routines.
Roy Vasquez as suave gangster Dandy Dan does an excellent job of leading his hoodlums in the gangster's cause with both the acting and the musical number "That's Why They Call Him Dandy." Equally effective were Alexander and his gang of half-wits. Andrew Villarreal, as casting director Oscar DeVelt, returns to the stage with his trained talent, adding comedy and fun to the story. Fat Sam's gang, which includes Teo Cantu (Knuckles), Richard Resendez (Snake Eyes), and Markus Mendoza (Shake Down Louis), all give convincing and funny performances. The police force in the story is carried exceptionally well by Smolsky (Robert Gutierrez) and O'Dreary (Juan Gonzalez). This duo did such a swell job that I think I spotted some future comedy stars. In addition, the smaller roles played by the younger cast members were executed in such a trained manner that the audience couldn't help but believe they were in this fast-paced, wild time period.
The show's choreography and music added to the show's success. The opening number, "Bugsy Malone," set the tone for the story. The girls stayed true to the plot's fast tempo and jazzy mood. Though there were lots of great songs, all of which were performed extraordinarily well by such a young cast, certain numbers stand out. Juan Senties (Fizzy) executed a nice interpretation of "Tomorrow" while The Down and Outs crew did a great rendition of "Down and Outs." The best songs were definitely saved for the last part of the show with its all-out Mardi Gras-style shootout -- using splurge rifles (with silly string) and crème pies as ammunition. It made the audience (at least the inner child in me) want to leap on the stage and join the messy massacre. The costumes kept the audience in a constant effort to catch all the glitter and color on the stage whose set design was both practical and creative.
It was fast, funny, and fun. This charming and cute production was clearly a stepping stone for our local talent on their circuit to Hollywood! No doubt, the audience was mostly made up of children, but Bugsy Malone was made for all the family. This was one I'm glad I didn't miss. Chavarria and his crew rendered an outstanding summer show.

(Belinda Ramon is an English teacher at Alexander High School.)