Addison — If the title Debutante Warriors: Girl Power in 3D has you wondering exactly what the show is about, you may still be asking yourself that question after seeing the actual show. This new show, promoted as an “original comical jukebox musical,” is still very much in the workshop phase─and we can’t stress that enough─but has the ingredients to be a hilarious, silly musical.

Based on the 1992 comic book Debutante Warriors, and adapted by Dallas actor Russell DeGrazier, the show comes across as a kind of bastard child of the hit Fox television show Glee with some of the same acerbic humor found in the 2008 online musical Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Creative producer Ken Murchison has taken the songs straight out of the '80s pop music catalogue. If you don't care much for '80s musical gems like “Video Killed the Radio Star” or “U Can't Touch This,” then you probably will not appreciate this musical. If you are a fan, you may still struggle with the actual story as the show, at this stage, lacks a coherent plot. While having some knowledge of the original comic book may be helpful, it is doubtful that most audience members will have this advantage.

This "story" follows Jenny (Ashley Rich) and begins as she sets out to go to the New York City Debutante Junior Club Lounge. There she meets the eccentric Miss Tightrear (Morgana Shaw), a character that comes off as a mix of Lady Gaga and Iona, Annie Potts’ character from Pretty in Pink. Tightrear displays a glitzy new costume in almost each of her scenes. Ed (Max Swarner), a young camera man for the TMZ-like Access Glamour infotainment show soon falls in love with Jenny. So far so good. From this point on, though, the plot gets murky. There is a Princess Carolina (Teresa Andrion, too often singing off-key). The three other debutantes (Deidre Thornell, Anna Boyd, Ruby Westfall) add strong musical back-up to most scenes (but timing still needs to be worked out). 

The second act is much weaker than the first. Many scenes are clearly in the workshop phase and need further development. The second act focuses on the debutantes searching for Jenny, who has been kidnapped by a group of Latino thugs. There is a strange twist in which the evil Bitsy (Rachel Pride) keeps Jenny tied up and then impersonates her by wearing a dress and wig. Somehow this is enough to fool the debutantes or Ed. But then again, it is based on a comic book. Common sense has no role.

Despite incoherence in the storytelling, there are some promising moments. Most notably, the duet rendition of “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” is a brilliant reworking of that song. Though Debutatante Warriors is undoubtedly a work in progress, it aims to be a unique musical adventure.

◊ Click the calendar link above to see future performances for Debutante Warriors: Girl Power in 3D, which plays in the Addison Theatre Centre's Main Stage. View a full Out of the Loop Fringe Festival schedule here.

♦ From the editor (Mark Lowry), and just for fun, here’s a list of songs featured (or partially used) in this first workshop of Debutante Warriors: Girl Power in 3-D. Watch for a video interview with DeGrazier on TheaterJones this week.

• Breakout (Swing Out Sister)
• Daddy's Girl (Peter Cetera)
• Mickey (Toni Basil)
• Whip It (Devo)
• Safety Dance (Men Without Hats)
• Wouldn't It Be Good (Danny Hutton Hitters, best known from the Pretty in Pink soundtrack)
• Video Killed the Radio Star (The Buggles)
• You Wear It Well (DeBarge)
• Girls Just Want To Have Fun (Cyndi Lauper)
• Simply Irressitible (Robert Palmer)
• Point of No Return (Exposé)
• Our Lips Are Sealed (The Go-Go's)
• I Know There's Something Going On (Frida)
• Hot Hot Hot (Buster Poindexter)
• I'm Coming Out (Diana Ross)
• Rich Girl (Hall & Oates)
• You're a Friend of Mine (Clarence Clemmons and Jackson Browne)
• U Can't Touch This (M.C. Hammer)
• Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now (Starship)
• Could've Been (Tiffany)