Howard Crabtree’s When Pigs Fly, the politically charged musical revue was a hit in the late 1990s. This campy, over the top costumed extravaganza is coming back this October revived with the man who clothed Cher, Liza, Carol and Barbie, the fabulous Bob Mackie. Howard Crabtree’s When Pigs Fly was conceived by Crabtree and Mark Waldrop, with book and lyrics by Mark Waldrop and music by Dick Gallagher.
The plot of When Pigs Fly is described as follows: “In a hastily booked theater under renovation, Howard struggles to put on a lavish musical revue over numerous obstacles, including the near-mutiny of his cast, and the nagging memory of his high school guidance counselor, who told him he’d succeed ‘when pigs fly.’ Just when it seems all is lost, Howard realizes the problem isn’t that he’s gone too far — it’s that he hasn’t gone far enough.”
The show stars a character named Howard (Jordan Ahnquist, Shear Madness), not unlike Crabtree, a former dancer and wardrobe designer who died of AIDS shortly before the show opened in 1996 at the Douglas Fairbanks Theatre. In a hastily booked theater under renovation, Howard struggles to put on a lavish musical revue while facing down numerous obstacles, including the near-mutiny of his cast and the nagging memory of his high school guidance counselor, who told him he’d succeed “when pigs fly.” Just when it seems all is lost, Howard realizes the problem isn’t that he’s gone too far — it’s that he hasn’t gone far enough.Taylor Crousure (Forbidden Broadway: Comes Out Swinging!), Jacob Hoffman (I’ll Be Damned), Brian Charles Rooney (Bedbugs!!!) and Frank Viveros (The Phantom of the Opera).
In addition to Ahnquist, the cast includes:
Taylor Crousure (Forbidden Broadway: Comes Out Swinging!)
Jacob Hoffman (I’ll Be Damned)
Brian Charles Rooney (Bedbugs!!!)
and Frank Viveros (The Phantom of the Opera).
Additional design and production team includes Adam Koch (sets), Julie Duro (lighting), Ian Wehrle (sound), Ed Goldschneider (music director) and Jay Binder, CSA/Justin Bohon (casting).