They’re Creepy and They’re Kooky
The Creepy Creeps create fun at Holy Cross
By Paul Heft
“The Creepy Creeps of Pilgrim Road,” put on by Holy Cross Catholic Church, was a stunning take on the zany musical play by Tim Kelly. It’s like “The Addams Family” meets mystery with plenty of hilarity along the way.
The play takes place in Edible Falls, which is basically your generic anywhere-town U.S.A. At the end of their main street is Creeps mansion, which is occupied by Sinbad, his wife Tarantula and their family. It is a withered, spooky looking house with gnarled thorns for grass. The inside speaks to the outside. There are cobwebs everywhere, dim lights and crocodiles in the dungeon-like basement. Neighbor Flora Limetree, portrayed by Jacque Rauth Reisinger, hates the Creeps and their house. Each year she enters Pilgrim Road in the All-American Street Contest. She believes they lose due to Creeps mansion.
Flora schemes to remove the Creeps and their mansion from the town so they can win for once. The Creeps’ troubles don’t stop there. They graciously host travelers in their mansion. Among these is the mysterious Prince Un Ravel from Egypt. Throw in the fact the Creeps have treasure hidden somewhere in their mansion and we have motive. It is from there that this mysterious comedy unravels.
The play featured great humor with line after line of dark comedy. For example, the family had liver for dinner and Sinbad’s grandmother asked, “Whose?!”
The set was perfect. It featured candles, old furniture, velvet drapes, old paintings and a peculiar table where the hand of an unseen child reached out to hand people the phone. It appears a lot of time went into creating the atmosphere of Creeps mansion. The production made it seem more ready for traveling theater than a local church play. Sound effects of screams and creaking floorboards added an unmatched aspect to the set.
The costumes couldn’t have been better. The outfits were ragged and torn and reminiscent of Morticia Addams. The couple was almost always clad in dark purple. Tarantula, played by Ann Downey, wore a sleek dress and a corset-like top.
Finally, the acting and singing was seamless. The Creeps had a smooth sense of humor, often taking every chance to make a joke here and there. It was humor anyone could relate to.
Bunny Jones, played by Dana Donlan, opened the play with energy. Jones set the premise by showing a couple the houses on Pilgrim Road. She scurried along, shuffling her feet with flawless motion. The spunk in Jones was above average for the part, which featured Jones as a home saleswoman and then a maid when she also joined the Creeps in their mansion. Jones’ voice in particular stood out that night. It appears Donlan has a real knack for using her one-of-a-kind voice.
Billy, the house goat and personal clock, cawed whenever the hour changed. It was this sort of craziness that added to the play’s value. The visitor Prince Un Ravel, played by Dave Howard, also added to the chaos when it became evident he was there for the gold. Howard well-represented Prince Un Ravel as a menacing monarch with his accomplices.
“The Creepy Creeps of Pilgrim Road” could surely appeal to a wide range of audiences. It is appropriate and enjoyable for children yet still engaging for adults. Holy Cross did an excellent job with the material and all of the actors’ hard work was evident. The production, as it stood on opening night, could have suited a crowd at the Rose Theater or larger. As it is, Holy Cross makes an excellent venue for this family-friendly show, including a concession stand selling sodas, hot dogs, popcorn, candy, beer and wine. In addition to adult tickets for $10 and $5 tickets for children under 12, a family pass for two adults and up to five children under the age of 18 is available for $35.