THESE TANGLED WEBBS
An original early 1960's daytime soap opera musical parody
Book & Lyrics by
Gary Brumburgh
Music by
Ron Creager
THESE TANGLED WEBBS is a zany, light-hearted musical spoof of TV’s daytime soap operas back in their heyday of the early 1960s. Major subplots include everything from acute marriage problems, mistaken identities, near-death operations, substance abuse and long-term amnesia to a murder whodunnit! Pushed to their irreverent limits, everything but the kitchen sink is thrown in.
As the opening company song (“Oh! the Tangled Webs We Weave”) summarizes:
OH! THE TANGLED WEBS WE WEAVE
WHEN FIRST WE PRACTICE TO DECEIVE;
THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS ARE ON THE LOOSE!
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A TOUCH OF GREED, A PINCH OF ENVY
SPARKS OUR FRAUGHT-FILLED TALE OF FRENZY;
TROUBLE LIES AHEAD BEFORE THE TRUCE!
THESE TANGLED WEBBS is a period piece set in the innocent 'Camelot' summer year of 1963. The place is a conservative, fictional town called Willowcrest, located in Anywhere, USA. The ever-entwining saga centers around the upstanding, much-admired Webb family … their friends, their foes, their fate. All the subplots are “untangled” by the end, but is it happily EVER after or happily NEVER after?
The bold and beautiful (and not-so-bold and beautiful) residents of Willowcrest are loosely based on many of the popular characters we loved to love and hate on such vintage 50’s, 60’s and 70’s series as Love of Life, The Secret Storm, Search for Tomorrow, As the World Turns, The Edge of Night, The Doctors, The Guiding Light, Days of Our Lives, Another World, General Hospital and All My Children.
June 14 - 30, 2024
The World Premier of
*Cast of Characters* (Cast of 13 or more)
REV. JIM WEBB, M.D., D.A., - late 40's, Willowcrest's busiest, most upstanding citizen
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MARGARET PRUITT WEBB, late 40's - his charming, loving wife
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SPARROW ROBIN WEBB, 24 - their pert, sunny, but disease-prone daughter
* * *
(LADY) CREMEHILDE VON PELT, 50's - Willowcrest's society monster
VERNON VON PELT, M.D., 50's - her erudite, hen-pecked husband
JOEY VON PELT, 25 - their handsome, physically fit son
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* * *
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SATYRICA CUTTING, 25 - Willowcrest's ruthless troublemaker
DR. STEVE BERNS, 25 - Willowcrest's branded hero but loser in life
BILLIE DARVON, 28 - Willowcrest's alcoholic lounge singer
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* * *
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**BLAZE DeMARCO - Willowcrest's resident drugged-out drummer
**PETER TURNIPSEED, Willowcrest's deadly Southern surprise
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** The characters of BLAZE DeMARCO and PETER TURNIPSEED are both portrayed by
the same actor playing JOEY VON PELT.
-and-
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An ENSEMBLE OF FOUR TO EIGHT (at least, of various ages) to play secondary characters (listed below) in addition to chorus singing/dancing roles and various filler townspeople.
Secondary characters are:
NURSE CLAIRE CONNOR, head nurse at Willowcrest General
FRAU HELGA LUDWIG, Teutonic Von Pelt housekeeper
MADAME CLARITA, a gypsy fortune teller
JUDGE STRICKLAND, stern Judge of the Superior Court
OFFICERS SEARS and ROEBUCK, Willowcrest policemen
BAILIFF, of Willowcrest Superior Court
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TEA LEAVES NEVER LIE
"It's nice to see you out of your coma, dear!"
"My 50 'Hail Marys' weren't in vain. Praise be!"
IS THERE SOMEONE FOR ME
"It's her heart. I don't think she's gonna make it!"
"One more accident and I could
become a very rich widow!"
"I want you and I'm gonna marry you!"
Heading 6
LIFE'S LITTLE TRAGEDIES
LOVE, PLEASE HURT ME AGAIN
PERFECT
"Vernon, speak!"
THE BRIDGE GAME
"Actors on the set, please!"
DEAR JOEY
OH, THE TANGLED WEBBS WE WEAVE
The Hospital Wedding / Murder
FRAU LUDWIG: "Ach, du lieber!"
CREMEHILDE: "May the Gods have mercy!"
"Let my daughter live long enough to know the few joys of being a wife and mother."
"We're here to arrest you for the murder of Peter Turnipseed."
Now that you know the truth, will you be mine?
"What happened while I was gone?"
"Your honor, I rest my case!"
Flashback: Willowcrest School Sock Hop - 1957
IT'S THE TRIVIALS
"Soon you'll be 25. What then?
Get thee to a nunnery?"
ONE MORE WEEK
JIM:" "My wife has made me very happy!"
VERNON: "Oh, yours too, eh?"
"Madame Clarita? My past has come to haunt me. Get your tea leaves out. I need a plan."
Book and Lyrics: Gary Brumburgh
Director: Sharon Murray Harrah
Music: Ron Creager
i'D RATHER BE ALONE
Book and Lyrics: Gary Brumburgh
Producer: John Campbell Finnegan
Music: Ron Creager
THE SET DESIGN OF THESE TANGLED WEBBS - the world premiere
JUNE 14-30, 2024
IT ALL OFFICIALLY STARTED ON SHARON'S BACK PORCH IN 2023
- John, Sharon, Ron and Gary
"Steven was there to pick up the pieces."
"I will hunt you down like a dog!"
"One day at a time, Claire."
"If I can't have Blaze, no one else ever will!"
The Cast of the World Premiere of THESE TANGLED WEBBS
Sitting (l ro r): EMMA LAMBERT (Darvon); KATE REEDY (Cremehilde); JILL HIGGINBOTHAM (Margaret); K.B. MERCHANT (Sparrow); KEIRA OLSON (Nun, Ensemble); GABI VELINOVA (Nun, Ensemble).
Standing (l to r): TYLER AKIN (Steven); MARIANNE ZICKUHR (Frau Ludwig, Ensemble); FLOREN K (Nurse Claire); JOHN VESSELS (Vernon); ALEX SLADE (Joey, Blaze, Peter); EMILY SCHOERING (Satyrica); A.J. BELLIS (Officer Roebuck, Ensemble); C. KEVIN SWANSEY (Bailiff, Emcee, Ensemble); RICHARD RYAN (Judge Strickland, Ensemble); PAUL DePREY (Jim); CATHY RYAN (Madame Clarita, Ensemble); JOSH SCHMIDT (Officer Sears, Ensemble).
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Florida New Musical Festival
June, 2021
