Last of the Red Hot Mamas at the Bucks County Playhouse

"Last of the Red Hot Mamas" is a new musical play based on the life of entertainer Sophie Tucker. Tucker was a popular American actress, singer, and comedian who rose to fame in the early 20th century. The play follows her journey from her humble beginnings in vaudeville to becoming one of the most successful performers of her time — as well as controversial. The musical features a book by Susan Ecker, Harrison David Rivers, and Lloyd Ecker.

The musical showcases Tucker's larger-than-life personality and her ability to captivate audiences with her powerful voice and comedic timing.  "Last of the Red Hot Mamas" explores the challenges and triumphs of Tucker's career, as well as the personal struggles she faced as a woman in the entertainment industry during a time of significant social change.

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The musical "Last of the Red Hot Mamas" features a variety of genres of music, including jazz, blues, and vaudeville. These genres were popular during the time period in which Tucker was performing. The music in the play helps to capture the essence of the era and the style of entertainment that Tucker was known for. It adds depth and authenticity to the storytelling, allowing the audience to experience the music that was an integral part of Sophie Tucker's career.

Outstanding performances to make note of include Ryann Redmond as Sophie Tucker. Ms. Redmond is the perfect casting choice to play Tucker. From the moment she hits the stage, she has a strong charismatic presence to carry Tucker’s larger-than-life personality and brings a unique charm and warmth to her, making Tucker both relatable and endearing. Her rich, expressive voice was well-suited to the musical's demanding songs, allowing her to convey deep emotion through her performances. She was able to portray the complexity of Tucker with a unique depth of characte r with nuance, capturing the character's musical talent and human vulnerability.

Rheaume Crenshaw as Mollie Elkins owned the stage when she sang: She offered a robust vocal performance as her singing was both powerful and nuanced, showcasing her ability to convey deep emotion through her voice. Crenshaw brought depth to her character, Mollie, portraying her struggles and resilience with authenticity.

Dewitt Fleming Jr. as Bill Bojangles Robinson brought a unique, rhythmic approach to his tap dancing performances - clearly one of the highlights of the play.  Fleming blended traditional techniques with his own improvisational flair, and his style emphasized the percussive quality of tap, making the feet a central element of his performance.

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Special note  for cast member Danny Rutigliano, a short, rotund Danny Devito-typo who brought great comedic timing and strong memorable character performances to each of his roles - a vaudeville comedian, a talent agent, and a Tucker fan from Brooklyn.

Overall, Last of the Red Mamas was joyful from start to finish, and the production as is should make the journey from New Hope to Broadway very swiftly. The show runs at the Bucks County Playhouse through July 27th, and tickets can be purchased here.

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