“Lagunatics” is a bit like our version of “Saturday Night Live” (but, ahem, not nearly as old).
Since 1992, the musical parody extravaganza has been making Laguna Beach laugh, cringe and laugh some more.
Created by the inimitable Bree Burgess Rosen, the show has succeeded largely because of its underlying mission statement: Don’t take ourselves too seriously.
This year’s 30th anniversary will run on weekends from March 10-26 (only nine shows). For more info and tickets, visit No Square Theater’s website.
As a longtime writer for the show, Chris Quilter is looking forward to seeing which numbers make the best-of. Quilter retired from writing a couple years ago but still keeps tabs on his beloved collaboration.
“It’s the ‘best-of’ so it will be a lot of stuff hopefully you remember fondly and none of the stuff you don’t remember,” he said, chuckling. “This thing has been going on since 1992 and we’re still writing relevant songs about parking, about tourists, and the flaws of rich, white people.”
At its best, “Lagunatics” combines wit, music, camp and just the right amount of wrong. Will all the old humor hold up in today’s sensitive culture? We will see.
“We were needlers, never biters,” Quilter said. “For the satire to land now, it has to be harsher, and it’s not much fun to write, really. Where’s the value in it?”
So with soft blows, the show will doubtless amuse as it reprises its best skits.
Quilter let slip that Rosen will don her sea lion outfit once again to play the “wounded” victim at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center. In other words, every time a worker walks by, she feigns forlorn illness in order to extend her stay at the posh facility.
There have been so many funny skits over the years that it will be interesting to see which ones are featured. Either way, expect clever inside jokes, sacred cows mocked, and perhaps, lots of hypocrisy-busting lines like, “My tree is sacred. Your tree is blocking my view.”
For Quilter, it always seems to be the “really stupid” skits that get the most laughs. But for him, that’s pleasure enough.
“I think helpless laughter is the most wonderful sound in the world.”
