‘Chicks with Dicks’ engages, captures audience’s attention

“Well, well, well, looks like we’re in for a little action tonight,” military-warrior-princess Oxi said.

Truer words couldn’t have been spoken when Oxi, played by Emily Goodson, opened the show Thursday night for the debut performance of Trista Baldwin’s “Chicks with Dicks II: Battle with Cannibal Sluts from Outer Space” at the Bloomington Playwrights Project.

Goodson set the tone for the rest of the show when she seductively captured the audience’s attention and engaged them in the performance. After her initial act, a recap was given from “Chicks with Dick I,” which debuted three years ago. After her boyfriend dumped her, Vespa de Amour, played by sophomore Chelsea Rigdon, and her gal-pal Cindi, played by Emily Giddings, become space warriors whose mission is to preserve intergalactic peace. They are called upon to save Planet 19, which is under attack by vicious “cannibal sluts.”

Upon arrival, Vespa and Cindi discover Xindoo, played by Echaka Agba, the chief of a tribe of vegetarian voodoos. Xindoo’s tribe is in a battle against Vantrula, played by Margot Morgan, and her tribe of spider warriors. Thrown into the mix is Dr. Diabolique, played by Jeremy Nottingham, who is plotting to drain Planet 19 of all of its titanium. It’s up to Vespa and Cindi to unravel the truth and save Planet 19 before it’s too late.

“Chicks” is a satire about science fiction films and is comedic and outlandish in nature.
“There’s really no boundaries with a show like this,” said Goodson. “We took the jokes as far as we could and then let the humor take it from there.”

Goodson said it can be hard sometimes with slapstick comedy to keep the audience engaged and not have the material get old. The audience’s thunderous applause and hooting after each scene indicated that this wasn’t a problem.

Ensemble of Artists member Andi Haynes thought the choreography was “absolutely fabulous.” She referred to a part in the show when the cast breaks out into a dance to Beyonce’s “Single Ladies.”

“Really, I loved it,” she said. “It’s fun to watch them being crazy.”

Costume designer Toni Scroggins saw the show numerous times during rehearsals, and yet she thought this one was the funniest night she had seen. She credited the lively
audience to making the show enjoyable.

“I’ve laughed harder tonight than I have in a long time,” she said.

Director Richard Perez credited the success of the show to the cast and their dedication.

“They gave it 150 percent, really,” he said. “They went above and beyond their call of duty.”

The show not only had outlandish comedy combined with satire but it also had a moral lesson. The plot reveals that the reason the two tribes are fighting is because they were given the drug “tootsey” by Dr. Diabolique, who is plotting to take over their planet by draining its titanium. Vespa and Cindi expose his evil plot to sell the titanium at rock-bottom prices to people on Earth. Upon discovering the truth, the two tribes are able to rekindle their friendship.

Perhaps Vespa De Amour said it best: “They may be cannibals, and they may be sluts, but they’re no threat to your planet or mine.”