rust belt theater company ‘Dating Sucks: The Musical’ takes hilarious look at relationships

March 9, 2014 at 12:00a.m.

By Lorraine Wardle

youngstown

It’s been said that truth is stranger than fiction. When it comes to dating, especially in today’s high-tech, image-obsessed society, the truth will amaze you.

Many strange and hilarious, true dating stories are shared in Robert Dennick Joki’s latest production, “Dating Sucks: The Musical.”

“Dating Sucks: The Musical” opened Friday at the Rust Belt Theater Company. The show, written and directed by Joki with orchestrations by Josh Taylor, pokes fun at real-life dating misadventures.

The songs are really funny, with parodies such as “I Kissed a Squirrel” and original songs such as “The Kids Are Not At Home” and “Ay Caramba.” There even was the obligatory riff on “Let it Go” called “Let it Grow.” The song that perhaps had the biggest impact on the audience, however, was “No Regrets,” a sincere and touching original song.

The show contains some short comical scenes and monologues that are based on real-life dating experiences. The cast also recites some hilarious excerpts from real “missed connections” posts from Craigslist that reference many places in and around Youngstown.

All of these elements combine to create a fun and funny look into the world of dating.

As always, the cast worked together perfectly, producing a professional-quality performance. Each cast member sang well, and together, they created beautiful harmonies. Marisa Zamary’s gorgeous choreography completed each musical number.

The cast features Rust Belt veterans Zamary, Nicole Zayas, David Cirelli, Kage Coven, Celena Coven, Hunter Thomas, Donnette Bishop, and Lynn Sabeh, and, of course, Joki. Newcomers Brittney Murphy, Adam Davis, and Jenn Stofko held their own and fit in perfectly with the seasoned cast.

Like many of the Rust Belt’s productions, “Dating Sucks” is full of adult humor. The racy language and risque situations are hilarious. So though this is not a show for kids, adults will relate to the dating experiences and enjoy the often ridiculous performances.

“Dating Sucks: The Musical” continues Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Rust Belt Theater in the Calvin Center at 755 Mahoning Avenue, just outside downtown Youngstown.

For reservations, call 330-507-2358.