The Whitefire Theatre Solofest Presents “Hollywoodn’t.” Written and Performed by Lisa Verlo. Directed by Jessica Lynn Johnson.
Show business is sex. Lisa Verlo has taken that concept to the extreme and created a hilarious, entertaining and extremely truthful account of her version of that very fact.
“Hollywoodn’t” is a solo show built around the age-old and blatant use of the casting couch in Hollywood. Sure, things have changed a bit, or at least the #METOO movement has forced us to stop making excuses or look the other way or act astonished when reading about yet another sex for roles scandal or penis flashing on set or demolished career of someone who didn’t want to play along.
Lisa “exposes” her stories to us in such a brilliantly funny and creative way. There are gorgeous songs, so sweetly sung and some wonderful and fantastical stop motion animation films with Barbie and Ken dolls in all sorts of lovely positions!
She invites us into her world and gives us the grand tour…warts and all! What endeared me to her the most was her vulnerability – not weakness, not silliness, nothing wimpy or insipid, just open hearted and joyous and profoundly real.
From her childhood obsession with her hoo-hoo to her unfiltered and unapologetic naming of names, on her journey through it all, she has the audience in the palm of her hand. She is playful, she is honest and she is strong. What more can we ask for in our heroes?
I love solo shows the most when they hold you close as they show you everything. Lisa Verlo does exactly that. She has that rare gift of connecting to the audience on an almost cellular level. She is fierce and brave and wise and absolutely hilarious…Bravo!!!