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Cleveland comedy troupe revives original musical Messin’ with Michael Stanley
BY John Benson
CLEVELAND
If you grew up in Northeast Ohio, odds are you have a story about crossing paths with a local celebrity. For Last Call Cleveland comedy troupe member Aaron McBride, one such memory is standing next to Michael Stanley at a bathroom urinal around the turn of the century.
While such anecdotes are normally fodder for dinner parties and casual conversations, McBride and his sketch comedy group brethren explored these Northeast Ohio experiences with hilarious results.
This led to the creation of “Michael Stanley Superstar (The Unauthorized Biography of The Cuyahoga Messiah),” which returns to Playhouse Square for weekend shows Friday through Jan. 21 at the Outcalt Theatre.
“We actually wrote this thing in 2004,” McBride said. “We started out doing a sketch about it in our shows where Michael Stanley is in rehearsal and he sort of blows up on everyone.
“They think he’s just some sort of messiah and everyone should bow down to him. Then we decided to turn that into a full-length play. It kind of wrote itself.”
The comedy musical takes aim at not only Stanley’s local hero image but musical theater in general. He describes the show as possessing a “Book of Mormon” sensibility that “goes for the jugular.”
Narrative-wise, the story involves Stanley, and his arch nemesis and fellow ’70s rocker Donnie Iris. They both have eyes on a girl named Leah. Along the way, Stanley sells his soul to the devil to become a rock ‘n’ roll star. Also included in the play are numerous local celebrities, including a certain Woollybear Festival founder.
“Of course Dick Goddard is a big part of it,” McBride said. “He’s actually the narrator. I used to do his voice but now we trade off. In fact, there’s a new Dick Goddard every scene, which makes it kind of fun.”
The show does include tongue-in-cheek versions of Michael Stanley songs (“My Town” and “Lover”), as well as newly added original tunes. While normally songwriters tend to have, well, song titles, not this group. Remember, at the core these are comedians who inherently aren’t exactly lazy but at the same time not necessarily the most motivated of folk.
As for Stanley himself, McBride said he’s not a big fan of the show.
“He’s never been thrilled about the idea that there’s a play out there kind of poking fun of him,” McBride said. “But it’s more of an homage. We all grew up watching him on ‘PM Magazine.’ We love him. The whole play is done out of respect, and I think most people recognize that.”
Apparently that includes Stanley, who it seems as though over time has somewhat warmed up to the production.
“I saw the show the first time around,” Stanley said. “I remember that it had a few very funny things in it. But, hey, a show based on yours truly, Dick Goddard and an evil Donnie Iris has its work cut out for it.”
When he puts it that way, it begs the question: What’s crazier, Last Call Cleveland creating a show titled “Michael Stanley Superstar (The Unauthorized Biography of The Cuyahoga Messiah)” in the first place or the fact the group is still staging it more than a dozen years later?
“Probably the latter considering the fact that we’re still doing this thing, people still seem to really enjoy it and we’re not tired of it yet,” McBride said. “Also, this time will be even better. We have a live keyboardist accompanying a lot of the scenes.
“It’s just going to feel like a little bit of a bigger production for us. Also, right now, it’s one of the tightest casts we’ve had. Everyone is a true professional and really funny so I’m really looking forward to this run.”
There’s something else at play with “Michael Stanley Superstar (The Unauthorized Biography of The Cuyahoga Messiah)” that unites in spirit both its namesake and the sketch comedy group.
“Yeah, we could never take this show anywhere,” McBride said. “We’re just happy performing it here for Clevelanders and touring it around this area.