Gayco, a theater company that specializes in sketch comedy on gay and lesbian subject matters, has put together their latest production, The Miseducation of Dr. Laura. This is the fourth, out of five, Gayco productions that I've seen, and it is the best and most consistently funny.
Beginning with a musical number, a rewrite of the song "Officer Krupke" ( from West Side Story, as if you didn't know ) , making it "Dear Dr. Laura," the show starts off by lampooning and harpooning evil Laura Schlessinger. The next bit, in which cast member Abby McEnamy gets into a taxicab, only to be insulted by the driver, is a scene that recurs throughout the evening ( featuring a variety of drivers ) .
Exploring the theme of how to "be gay the right way," the cast comes to the aid of Rex ( a gay man with no fashion sense ) and Rebecca ( a lesbian who doesn't know anything about tools ) , proving that "a good gay makes a great day for America." Butch Jerinic, who has been a standout performer in the previous Gayco productions I have seen, is once again a source of many laughs. As the overly accepting mother of a lesbian daughter, she carries the scene.
Another musical number, about a French, gay male couple that adds a third, was also very amusing. The evening's centerpiece, "Ma & Pa's Countryside Gay Deprogramming Clinic and Cafe," was another highlight. The best skit of the night took place at a class reunion in which four classmates remembered their favorite teacher, but had very different memories of the tragedy that occurred at their school.
After a five-minute break, at the end of the show, the seven-member cast ( three men and four women ) returned to the stage, where they were joined by a couple of special guests. They then performed 10 minutes of improvisation from ideas suggested by the audience. It was during the improvisations that cast member Jennifer Shepard, a natural born scene stealer, was at her best.
"B+" Donny's Skybox Studio Theater, ( 312 ) 337-3992, thru July 15.