Elliott back to the off-Broadway stage with Ludlam's horror send-up.

Elliott brings "theater of the ridiculous" back to the off-Broadway stage with Ludlam's 1984 horror send-up.
Charles Ludlam's satirical style, lovingly referred to as "theater of the ridiculous," has been inspiring Kenneth Elliott's directorial career for decades, as can be seen through his many collaborations with drag legend Charles Busch including the cult classic horror parody Psycho Beach Party. Yet, The Mystery of Irma Vep, opening off-Broadway at the Bay Street Theatre on July 2, will in fact be Elliott's first crack at a Ludlam text.
The Mystery of Irma Vep satirizes Hitchcock horror films, Victorian melodrama, and several iconic literary works, all within a thrilling mystery story. Cross-dressing is ensured with two actors (Tom Aulino and David Greenspan) playing a whopping total of eight roles, both male and female. Elliott took some time before rehearsal one day to explain the mechanics behind this whirlwind of a show and to share the secret to being perfectly ridiculous.
Tom Aulino and David Greenspan in The Mystery of Irma Vep at the Bay Street Theatre.