On August 3, at the Community House, thanks to the Arts Project of Cherry Grove, writer and director Parker Sargent; leading performers Patty McKeever and Emilio “Ginger Snap” Deluca; and back-up dancers Al McKeever and Vinny Briguccia treated us to the rise and fall of/the adventures and misadventures of/the sordid lives of “The Fabulous Monroe Sisters,” from Queens, who are not Blanche and Baby Jane Hudson, but, with very little effort, could be.
Parker’s informative film, revealing the back story of child stars Candy (Patty) and Cupcake (Emilio) Monroe, assisted by Michael “Busted” Fitzgerald as their frank and ruthless agent Theresa Leahy, preceded the ‘stage show.’
Singing songs “Sisters,” “Money Makes the World Go ’Round,” Barenaked Ladies’ “If I Had a Million Dollars,” “(Whatever happened to) Class,” “I Got You, Babe,” “Wind Beneath My Wings,” and “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” to tracks, helped Patty and Emilio’s Monroe Sisters tell their lamentable, and riotous, tale of fame, descent, scandal, overeating, backstabbing, and reunion. Boldface names, and faces, like Barbra Streisand, Jason Gould, the Trumps, the Harveys—Weinstein and Fierstein, Kellyanne Conway, Long Island Medium Theresa Caputo, White Castle, and our own Panzi, Victoria Falls, Joyce Rodgers, Bobbie Green, Linda the Ice Cream Lady, and yours truly, punctuated the Monroe Sisters’ story of war and peace, as did the moves of graceful and hunky dancing duo Al and Vinny.
A scene in which Cupcake discovered the Internet, and she and Candy, finding out that Cherry Grove Is Gay (!), prepared a glossary pertinent and impertinent terms, like scissoring and teabagging, to demonstrate the results of their research, merits mention, as does one in which the hitherto impartial dancers declared their loyalty.
Kudos too to Andy Sargent, Rocky Noel, Sharon Weinberg, Michael Romanelli, Matt Baney, Alison Brackman, and Dave Medina for contributions to the writing, tech, and stage assistance for “The Fabulous Monroe Sisters.”