'Sperm! The Musical' comes to Sandpoint
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 14 years, 4 months AGO
Sperm radiation therapy? Killer mutant sperm monsters? A fertility doctor named Cunnillingus? Sandpoint native playwright Ben Olson is releasing his second original stage play.
"Sperm! The Musical," is set to hit the main stage of the Panida Theater on Aug. 19-20 and 26-27 at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m.
Following the success of last summer's theatrical hit, "Death of a Small Town in the West," Olson chose as the setting for his second play a sperm bank. His heroes, Willy and Delouise Johnson, are an ordinary married couple having trouble conceiving.
What follows is a strange, musical journey through the procreative process, complete with singing sperm monsters, a game show and the use of Soviet atom colliders. Laughter and absurdity carry the play from one scene to the next.
Director Andrew Sorg, who also directed "Death of a Small Town in the West," has wrangled together a talented array of locals to bring Olson's work to life.
"Working on 'Sperm!' has been an interesting challenge," Sorg said. "It would be very easy to go over the line with this play and fall into a pit of crass. While there are certain spots that I decided the exaggeration was needed, I wanted to show the deeper story of what conception means to a lot of couples out there. The need to start a family and have kids is strong and a lot of people out there take advantage of those couples who struggle to conceive."
To compose all of the original music for "Sperm!," Olson chose Brian Hibbard, of the band Tennis fame.
"I'm excited to see this all come together," Olson said. "Andrew is like the Terminator for theater; relentless, efficient, looks good in sunglasses. Brian's songs are so catchy you'd hum them all day if they weren't written about sperm. The actors are all unafraid, unabashed, ready to recite these ridiculous lines I've given them."
Tickets will be for sale at the box office for $15.
As "Sperm!" will feature adult situations and language, the play has been rated R. No children under 17 are allowed unless accompanied by an adult.