Pretty Filthy
| Pretty Filthy | |
|---|---|
 2015 Off-Broadway production poster | |
| Music | Michael Friedman |
| Lyrics | Michael Friedman |
| Book | Bess Wohl |
| Productions | 2015 Off-Broadway |
Pretty Filthy is a 2015 musical with a book by Bess Wohl and music and lyrics by Michael Friedman developed with director Steve Cosson. The musical is produced by American "investigative" theater company The Civilians. The show is based on The Civilians' visit to the San Fernando Valley, also known as "the Hollywood of the adult film industry." The musical focuses on the private and professional lives of either real-life adult film stars or composite characters based on various people, with each actor playing multiple roles.[1]
Plot
[edit]Described as a "porn docu-musical," the show follows several vignettes of adult film stars, focusing extensively on Becky, a young woman just beginning in the industry. She moves to Los Angeles, where she gets a manager and changes her name to Taylor St. Ives. Throughout her experience, she brings along her boyfriend Bobby, who himself becomes an adult film star, and meets veteran star Georgina Congress, exploring the challenges of the industry in forming relationships, gender parity and the evolution since its inception.[2]
Production history
[edit]Originally commissioned by Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles, the show premiered Off-Broadway at The Playhouse in the Abrons Arts Center and ran from January 31 to March 1, 2015.[3] The production was directed by co-conceiver Steve Cosson and starred Alyse Alan Louis as Becky/Taylor St. Ives, Marrick Smith as Bobby/Dick Everhard/Peter North, and Lulu Fall, Luba Mason, Maria-Christina Oliveras, Steve Rosen and Nick Harding in various roles.[4]
The show received positive reviews, with Variety praising Cosson's "even-handed direction" and the characters as "enjoyable" and "endearing."[5] The Hollywood Reporter called the show "pretty filthy. But it’s also pretty damn fun" with some criticism for the show's benevolence toward heavier issues the characters would face.[6]
Cast and characters
[edit]| Character | Off-Broadway 2015[7][3] |
|---|---|
| Jimmy Wood, Fredo and others | John Behlmann |
| Brown Sugar, Sunny Leone, and others | Lulu Fall |
| Becky/Taylor St. Ives | Alyse Alan Louis |
| Georgina Congress | Luba Mason |
| Shy Love, Sunny Lane, Holly, Carrie, and others | Maria-Christina Oliveras |
| Sam Spiegel, Oscar, and others | Steve Rosen |
| Bobby/Dick Everhard, Peter North/Matt Ramsey | Marrick Smith |
| Jared Zirilli | Nick Harding |
Musical numbers
[edit]- Names — Full Company
- What If I Like It — Becky/Taylor and Company
- Impossible Girls — Sam Spiegel
- Porn Capitalism — Carrie and Brown Sugar
- The First Video Stars — Georgina Congress
- Squirting 101 — Fredo
- Becky & Bobby & Taylor & Dick — Becky/Taylor and Bobby/Dick
- Waiting for Wood — Male Company
- Porn House — Full Company
- Fuck the World — Peter North/Matt Ramsey
- Applesauce — Holly and Oscar
- Beautiful — Georgina Congress
- Pretty/Filthy — Becky/Taylor and Company
Recording
[edit]The original cast recording was released on November 18, 2016 by Ghostlight Records.[8]
Awards and nominations
[edit]2015 Off-Broadway production
[edit]| Year | Award Ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | |||||
| Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Musical | Nominated | [9] | ||
| Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Luba Mason | Nominated | |||
| Lucille Lortel Awards | Outstanding Musical | Nominated | [10] | ||
| Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Steve Rosen | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Luba Mason | Nominated | |||
References
[edit]- ^ "A New Musical Exploring the Human Side of the Porn Industry". prettyfilthymusical.com. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
- ^ "Pretty Filthy: Theater Review". The Hollywood Reporter. February 8, 2015. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
- ^ a b Pretty Filthy kickstarter
- ^ "Pretty Filthy". The Civilians. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
- ^ Cox, Gordon (February 8, 2015). "Review: 'Pretty Filthy'". Variety. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
- ^ Byrge, Duane (February 8, 2015). "Pretty Filthy: Theater Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
- ^ Stewart, Zachary (February 8, 2015). "Review: Pretty Filthy". Theater Mania. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
- ^ "Pretty Filthy (Original Cast Recording)". Ghostlight Records. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
- ^ Cox, Gordon (May 31, 2015). "'Hamilton,' 'Curious Incident' Top the 2015 Drama Desk Awards (FULL LIST)". Variety. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
- ^ Cox, Gordon (May 10, 2015). "'Hamilton' Dominates the 2015 Lucille Lortel Awards (FULL LIST)". Variety. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
External links
[edit]- Internet Off-Broadway Database Archived January 13, 2020, at the Wayback Machine