Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical
Books and Lyrics by Jonathan Hogue
Directed by Kevin “Blax” Burroughs
Musical Direction by Eliza Vedar
Choreography by Alyssa “Ajay” Junious
October 4-20, 2024
Opening Night Reception: October 5 at 7 pm
Fridays at 8 pm, Saturdays at 2 pm (except first weekend) & 8 pm, Sundays at 2 pm
SPECIAL EVENTS
Preview Night – Friday, October 4
$20
Opening Night with Champagne Toast after Show
– Saturday, October 5
$50
Military Matinee – Sunday, October 6
2 free tickets for Military & Veterans with ID
Artist Talkback – Sunday, October 6
Industry Night – Monday, October 7
$20
“Bye mom, I gotta go study at Lucas’ house. Bye mom, I gotta go study at Mike’s house. Bye mom, I gotta go ride my bike through the dark woods in the middle of the night with no adult supervision………god I love the 80’s.”Â
The West Coast Premiere of Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical written by Jonathan Hogue and directed by Kevin âBlaxâ Burroughs offers a hilarious, fun-filled romp into the supernatural world of the Netflix hit, Stranger Things October 4 through October 20. Set in the otherwise sleepy town of Hawkins, Indiana in the 80s, the parody embraces the nostalgia for days when kids were left free to wander around unsupervised – in this case into portals to a hellish upside down world. Featuring songs about how to get the girl, being the third wheel, and adventures, this show is wonderfully silly with a few interdimensional battles and singing demogorgons along the way.
The original production of Stranger Sings! The Musical Parody ran from September 2022 to May 2023 off-broadway in New York to sold out audiences and won a significant amount of awards. It was so popular that the production company streamed it worldwide. âThe show is campy, the show is silly, the show is wonderfully nostalgic,â said Burroughs. âAfter I got a chance to watch the stream, I listened to the cast recording religiously, and fell more in love with every aspect of the production with every listen.â
According to Burroughs, OTCâs production of Stranger Sings! The Musical Parody will differ from the usual OTC mainstage shows, in that it will offer an immersive experience with some audience members sitting onstage and certain actors weaving in and out of the audience.Â
Cast
JOYCE/WILL
Natasha Gomez
She/Her
Natasha is excited to be making her OTC debut with this production of Stranger Sings: The Parody Musical ! Recent appearances include; La Jolla PLayhouse and Optika Moderna’s La Lucha, La Jolla Playhouse WoW Festival IYKYK , Coronado Playhouse’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, New Village Arts’ Little Shop Of Horrors  and Smokey Joe’s Cafe. She has also been in various shows as a Singer, Actor, Improviser and Musician for Legoland California since 2016. Most recently, she appeared there and played her flute as Finch in The Songbirds. She is grateful to Kevin for being an amazing director and to her husband Fredy, who plays opposite her as Hopper.
ELEVEN/NANCY/ROBIN
Tirzah
She/Her
Tirzah is so excited to make her OTC debut! Tirzah won the Broadway San Diego Award for Best Actress in 2023, which sent her to the Jimmy Awards where she made her Broadway debut. A recent favorite role of Tirzahâs was Luna in Man and Moon (Moxie Theatre). Other favorite roles include: Adelaide (Guys and Dolls), Wednesday (The Addams Family), Anne Frank (The Diary of Anne Frank), Ellie Blake (Freaky Friday). She sends her love to her family and friends for their endless support, and thank you OTC for the opportunity! Grab your Eggos, mouthbreathers, and get ready for a laugh! IG: @tinytirzah
BARB
Priya Richard
She/Her
Priya is absolutely thrilled to be a part of the West Coast Premiere of Stranger Sings! Priya graduated from AMDA Los Angeles Conservatory with a Musical Theatre degree. Her recent work includes âMedium Alisonâ in FUN HOME with New Village Arts & âFemale Swingâ in the World Premiere of Witnesses with the California Center for the Arts. Other favorites include âNunu Carneyâ in The Ferryman, âEponineâ in LES MISERABLES, and âMary Poppinsâ in MARY POPPINS. She is beyond grateful to her friends and family, who have supported her tremendously along the way. Be sure to keep an eye out for the Demogorgons… and enjoy the show!
STEVE/JONATHAN/DR. BRENNER
Tommy Tran
They/He
Tommy Tran is a San Diego local, their favorite credits include Cliff Bradshaw, Cabaret (A-List Theatre Company); Graffiti Pete, In the Heights (SDMT); Roger, Rent (SDMT Academy);Â Ash Williams, Evil Dead: the Musical (Tenth Avenue Arts Center); Texas, Trash! the Musical (PBYW, 2019); Adam, Freaky Friday (Miracosta Community College). In their free time, they enjoy making hot chocolate, drinking hot chocolate, and talking about hot chocolate.
LUCAS/DEMOGORGON/EIGHT/ERICA
Allyce Calloway
She/Her
This Oceanside native is stoked to take this journey into the upside down. Earlier this year, she was seen as LaâTrice in Oceanside Theatre Companyâs production of Chicken & Biscuits. She extends immense gratitude to Blax and the OTC team for another amazing experience. When not onstage, Calloway is on social media connecting with her community of over 80 thousand beauty and theatre lovers alike- @allycenotalice to keep up with her future endeavors. Enjoy your stay in Hawkins!
MIKE
Dylan August
He/Him
Dylan is extremely excited and grateful to be a part of OTCâs production of Stranger Sings! His most recent performances include Sweeney Todd (Anthony/Ensemble), Rent (Mark), and Spring Awakening (Melchior). He wants to thank the creative team for giving him this opportunity, as well as his many mentors, friends, and his parents for their never ending support.
DUSTIN
Sophia LaRosh
They/She
Sophia is so glad you made it to this zany, spooky show! Theyâre a San Diego native who has had the privilege of portraying roles such as Serena in Legally Blonde (SDMT), Jane Doe in Ride the Cyclone (Trinity Theatre Co), Chastity in Anything Goes (SDMT), and up next, Irene Molloy in Hello, Dolly! (SDMT). It takes a village and she would be amiss not to thank her incredible mother and family, supportive partner and friends, vocal and acting coaches, and of course Blax, Eliza, Ajay, and OTC! Enjoy thith awethome parody muthical, hope you laugh your ath off! @thesophialarosh
HOPPER
Fredy Gomez Cruz
He/Him
Fredy is a multifaceted artist based in San Diego. His diverse experience includes acting, singing, dancing, fight choreography, and music. Fredy is thrilled to make his debut with OTC and dive into the upside-down! Some of his favorite projects include: Twelfth Night of the Living Dead as Antonio, La Lucha as Morfeo, WOW Fest: IYKYK, This Bitchas Olmo, A Midsummer Night’s Dream as Lysander, Addams Family as Gomez Addams, and Native Gardens as Pablo. He is grateful to the Camino 23 cohort and his wife, Natasha, for their encouragement throughout his journey.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. What is the recommended age?
A. Ages 10+ for language and suggestive content.
Q. What is the running time?
A. 2 hrs including a 15 min intermission.
Q. Is there a cast recording?
A. Yes! The original 2021 cast recording of Stranger Sings is available wherever you stream music.
Q. Do I need to watch Stranger Things before watching Stranger Sings!?
A. Stranger Sings follows the story arc of Season 1 with some special nods to later seasons (including the most recent season!). While many jokes will be best appreciated after viewing the series, much of the show riffs off of familiar tropes and icons from the 1980s (as well as musical theatre), leaving lots to enjoy for Stranger Things fans and newbies alike!
Q. Is the show still playing in NYC?
A. The off-Broadway production of Stranger Sings closed on May 7, 2023.
Q. Will Stranger Sings achieve Justice for Barb??
A. Check out our show and find out…