Chips
The zany group of actors know collectively as the Troubies or Troubadour Theatre Company has come up with a wildly satiric version of the famous television series Chips which starred Erik Estrada as the rebellious and macho motorcycle cop Ponch Poncherello and his sidekick was Larry Wilcox as his handsome but straitlaced partner Officer Jonathan “Jon” Baker. The series ran from 1977 until 1983 although along the way there were cast changes, disputes, hard feelings and accusations of unprofessional behavior. Of course this made a perfect match with the Troubadour Theatre Company which specializes in musical send-ups of everything from Shakespeare’s Macbeth, through a series of Christmas Shows, the latest being Frosty the Snow Manilow where the music was by Barry Manilow but the lyrics had been drastically changed to make it all a satire and a rousing comedy filled with madcap mayhem. Out of this has come Chips The Musical that is playing at the Falcon Theatre in Burbank.
Now usually that genius of an Artistic Director has a lot to do with the project being the writer, conceiver, actor, and leader of the group. This time however, Matt Walker merely directs and acts (Jon Baker) and leaves the writing to Henry Phillips who has created twisted stories for Comedy Central and Jimmy Kimmel and also Rick Batalla who is a brilliant improviser and has written for TBUS, NBC, and CBS. His musical takeoff based on Robert Blake called Blake …Da Musical won an Ovation Award for Best Musical. Batalla plays Ponch and he is hysterical, complete with a bike to die for and prop teeth that shed a blinding light. Walker plays Baker in a cheapo blond wig that garners its share of laughs. Both wear impossibly tight pants. The villains of the piece are female eco-terrorists sporting roller skates and short shorts. As the press material states: “The boys are back and this time they’re singing”. The singing of course is excellent and getting better with each show. The music is original and lots of fun. If you can score a ticket go see Chips the Musical at the Falcon Theatre that runs until July 25th.