That Bachelorette Show: Theater review by Raven Snook
If you're a typical bachelorette looking for an alcohol-and-dance-hit–fueled club party, this interactive parody of ABC’s romantic reality competition may offer more thrills than your wedding night. However, theater lovers will want to dump That Bachelorette Show before it even begins. Created by Ken Davenport—the marketing mastermind behind the stylistically similar Awesome 80s Prom, which ran for, like, ever—That Bachelorette Show stars former Miss New York USA Joanne Nosuchinsky as Jersey Shore–like sexpot Adriana Orlando, who's looking for love after breaking up with longtime boyfriend Giovanni Giovanni (Gianmarco Soresi).
Adriana’s suitors are a motley crew of stereotypes, including a heart surgeon, a rocker, a hedge funder, a buxom butch (Gavyn Pickens, a welcome touch of queerness in an otherwise aggressively het experience), a Middle Eastern prince who asks if she'll be his “virgin” and, in an unsurprising twist, her former flame, who throws his hat into the engagement ring. The host (Andy Peeke in R-rated Corny Collins from Hairspray mode) introduces the men, who each get a minute to make their case as tiara-and-boa–clad ladies hoot like it was Magic Mike.
The rest of this interactive event involves the guys trying to win over the audience by schmoozing, flirting, dirty dancing, pulling up their shirts and giving out swag (I scored Slim Jims) as the DJ spins an eclectic mix (Spice Girls, 'N Sync, Adele, Salt-N-Pepa) from the ’80s to today. Four rounds of real-time voting via smartphone leave ample opportunity to hit the overpriced bar as the field is narrowed until a winner is declared. Adriana may snag a new man every night depending on the audience, but the tired concept never changes. Strictly for brides-to-be and their BFFs who find Lucky Cheng's or burlesque too outré, this is one commitment you don't want to make.
42West (Off Broadway). Created by Ken Davenport. With ensemble cast. Running time: 1hr 30mins. No intermission.