‘Debbie Does Dallas’ @ Theatre Three
Photo by Jeffrey Schmidt
—Carol M. Rice
When I told a friend I was going to see Debbie Does Dallas at Theatre Three, he was surprised to find out it was now Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical—not a porn film. But…if there was any doubt for audience members about what they were about to see, all was made clear by one of the best recorded curtain speeches I’ve ever heard.
Full of playful sexual innuendo and wordplay, and delivered with tongue-in-check phone sex vibes, it totally prepared the audience for some raucous, raunchy fun—and got us ready to laugh. And laugh we did!
Debbie is a high school cheerleader with a dream: to become a Texas Cowgirl Cheerleader. When she receives the magical letter that tells her she’s been accepted (and needs to show up in Dallas in just two weeks) Debbie’s reaction is a surprise. She thinks her dream has been shattered. Where is she going to find the money to go to Dallas?
She and her cheerleading squad form a company called Teen Services and get jobs to help her. But they quickly find out from the men they work for that there’s a much better way to raise enough money in time. The girls agree to try their hands (so to speak) at “little favors” performed with enthusiasm by “good girls”—and through sex, sweat and tears, they manage to raise enough money for Debbie to make it all the way to Dallas.
Under the spot-on direction of James Chandler, the small ensemble cast fills the stage of T3’s “Theatre Too” basement space. The men (Seth Paden, Rudy Lopez, and Luke Weber) play all the boyfriends and bosses, every one of them horny. With radically different physical manners and voices for the characters, it’s hard to believe there are only three actors at work; the superb costumes by Ryan Matthieu Smith add to the illusion.
Mark Mullino’s musical direction pairs nicely with the actors’ voices and tracks, and I loved that there were no body mics used! They definitely weren’t needed. It was often hard to tell where Ani Vera’s dance choreography started and Chaire Fountain’s intimacy and fight choreography took over—but that’s a good thing! The action moved swiftly and easily between musical numbers and scenes, and was lots of fun to watch.
“The girls,” as they often refer to themselves, cover all the cheerleader stereotypes—from the virgin dating the high school quarterback to the slut who wants him BAD; the dumb blonde to the super-bright girl who knows exactly what she wants out of life; and everything in between. Pretty amazing for a group of five (Lily Gast, Jayden Russell, Jocelyn Harris, Ania Lyons, and Madeleine Norton).
Gast is our Debbie, a sweet girl who eventually turns to “the bad side” to get what she wants—enough money to get to Dallas. Her downward spiral is enhanced by such songs as “Ten Dollars Closer to Dallas,” and her hair swinging cheerleader walk is hilarious.
Tammy is the one cheerleader who sticks to her guns about not fooling around (while still being supportive and helpful to the others), and Lyons’ perky commitment to Tammy’s eventual goal of the Senate is lotsa fun to watch, especially since we know that with that level of determination, she’ll probably get there.
Russell brings a great “bad girl” vibe to Lisa, who has no problem asking for sexual favors for money and stealing Debbie’s boyfriend in the process. And Harris and Norton compete for who can come across as the dumbest. All the cheerleaders are believable in this hilarious cartoon-esque world, especially in their vocal patterns: “Okay, bye!” brought laughs every single time.
Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical is based on the 1978 pornographic film Debbie Does Dallas and was conceived by Susan L. Schwartz, who originated the role of Debbie at the New York Fringe Festival and then later off-Broadway in 2002. The play was adapted for the stage by Erica Schmidt, who also directed the original production, with music composed by Andrew Sherman.
While the musical feels like more of a coming-of-age story than anything pornographic, there are still many stylized sexual elements in it, so it’s not one for the kids. The adults in the audience at Theatre Too, however, had a great time—myself included. My cheeks hurt from laughing by the end of it, and at 90 minutes with no intermission, Debbie Does Dallas is just the right length for a fun night out. If you like silly humor combined with sexual innuendo, this is the show for you. It runs through February 23, so there’s still time!
“Okay, bye!”
WHEN: January 23-February 23, 2025
WHERE: 2688 Laclede Street, Dallas
WEB: theatre3dallas.com
