Waiting for Guffman

Certianly one of my favorite comedies ever, this is the This is Spinal Tap formula (mockumentary) applied to community theater by Nigel Tufnel himself, Christopher Guest.

In this movie, Guest plays Corky St. Clair, a struggling stage director/actor from New York City, who comes to Blaine, a small town in Missouri. He quickly establishes himself as the prime force in the Blaine stage scene, first with his productions of Barefoot in the Park and the controversial Backdraft, due to the fact caused a real fire due to the props of burning papers.

Well now with the 150th anniversary of the town of Blaine, the city council has called upon Corky to direct a retelling of the town's history, which includes a mistaking of Missouri for California, President McKinley deeming the town the stool capitol of the world, and a friendly UFO visit with a pot-luck supper on board.

Corky makes it a point to go after "unknowns", which essentially means the whole town, but in the end the cast becomes set at Ron and Sheila Albertson (Williard & O'Hara), a husband-and-wife team of travel agents who have never actually been anywhere; Dr Allan Pearl (Levy), a local dentist with comedy routines in his blood apparently; Libby Mae Brown (Posey), a girl whose current drive in life is working at the DQ; Clifford Wooley (Arquette), who is tapped for the part of the Narrator; and Johnny Savage (Keeslar), a mechanic under employ of his dad.

Once casts is in place, the show goes through many trials and tribulations, including the walk-out (and quick return) of Corky, and the last minute departure of Johnny. The one thing raising everybody's spirits for the performace is the fact that Mort Guffman, a broadway producer is schedued to come in and watch the play.

Song List (for the musical):

• Covered Wagons
• Stool Boom
• A Penny For Your Thoughts
• Nothing Ever Happens on Mars