Review: Disaster!

Review: Disaster | StageDoor Theatre | Conifer, CO | Curtain Up! | Eric Fitzgerald

If disco is dead, someone forgot to tell the audience at StageDoor Theatre. I expected to be the target demographic for this score—after all, I actually lived through the 1970s, the decade Disaster! gleefully skewers—but the crowd in Conifer proved otherwise. Under Tanner Kelly’s high‑octane direction and sharp musical stewardship, the parade of 70s hits landed just as strongly with the under‑35s as with those of us who first heard them on vinyl. Apparently, disco has a longer shelf life than any of us imagined. Heather Westenskow’s choreography seals the deal, filling the stage with period‑perfect moves that ride the wave of nostalgia without ever feeling stale. All music aside, Disaster! delivers more than two hours of full‑throttle comic calamity aboard the SS Barracuda.

For anyone who didn’t live through the 1970s, it’s hard to grasp the spell movies like The Poseidon Adventure, The Towering Inferno, and Earthquake once cast. They were grand, earnest spectacles—family outings, not camp. Disaster! sends them up with such affection that those of us who remember their original impact can feel the echo, while younger audiences get a playful glimpse of a time when a capsized ship or a blazing skyscraper could hold the whole country rapt. Long live Shelley Winters!

This story unleashes a full parade of lovable 1970s underdogs, each more endearingly doomed than the last. On the opening night of Tony Delvecchio’s (Cooper Kaminsky) ill‑fated floating casino, a motley crowd converges: Chad Rubick (Gavin Juckette), the smooth‑talking waiter still nursing heartbreak; Scott (Lucas Barta), the other waiter unlucky in love; Marianne Wilson (Brekken Baker), the earnest reporter chasing a story; Levora Verona (ThurZday), the glamorous singer clinging to her last shot at fame—and her fabulous doggy; and Sister Mary Downey (Isabella Duran), whose moral compass is nearly as unshakeable as her deadpan delivery. Meanwhile, disaster expert Ted Scheider (Andy Ray) tries—mostly in vain—to warn Tony that the ship is a floating death trap. Add in the sweetly awkward twins Ben and Lisa (Sarah Holmes), children of Jackie Noeller (Cooper Rae), a heart‑of‑gold showgirl; the loyal Shirley Winters (Jennifer Burnett) and her devoted husband Maury (Brian Trampler); plus a parade of gamblers, dancers, and dreamers, and you have a vessel primed for every calamity the 1970s can throw at it. As quakes, flames, and assorted catastrophes pile up, the characters scramble, collide, and belt out 70s hits with a sincerity that makes the chaos even more delightful.

The score itself is a jukebox fever dream, stitched together from 1970s hits that land with both nostalgia and comic precision. Sister Mary Downey all but steals the show with her star turn on the mash‑up “Never Can Say Goodbye/Torn Between Two Lovers,” a number that somehow manages to be both heartfelt and hilariously conflicted. Elsewhere, the cast throws themselves into “Hot Stuff,” “I Am Woman,” and a roof‑raising “Knock on Wood,” each song surfacing at exactly the wrong—or right—moment in the unfolding chaos. It’s the kind of musical mayhem that reminds you why these tunes have never really left the cultural bloodstream.

Cooper Kaminsky as Tony Delvecchio | Photo Credit: Tracy Doty

This is one of the strongest casts I’ve seen recently, a company that attacks the material with vocal power, comic precision, and an infectious sense of play. Cooper Kaminsky sets the tone early as a blustery, delightfully oily Tony Delvecchio; Gavin Juckette brings surprising emotional shading to Chad, the heartbreak‑ridden waiter whose sincerity keeps landing laughs; Isabella Duran turns Sister Mary Downey into a comic grenade, detonating every scene she enters; Jennifer Burnett grounds the chaos with warmth and grit as Shirley Winters (Shelley would be proud); Brian Trampler complements her beautifully as Maury, shaping their marriage into one of the show’s quiet pleasures; and ThurZday glides through the evening with star‑power sheen as the ever‑glamorous Levora Verona. And yet, these standouts don’t eclipse the rest—the ensemble as a whole keeps the comedy sharp, the pacing buoyant, and the stakes delightfully high.

The disaster-bound cast of Disaster! | Photo Credit: Tracy Doty

Tanner Kelly proves once again that he’s a director with both instinct and intention, shaping Disaster! with a sure hand that keeps the comedy buoyant without ever tipping into chaos (well… almost). His staging is crisp, his pacing confident, and his musical direction gives the 70s score a surprising freshness—every number lands with purpose, not just nostalgia. Kelly has directed before, but there’s a new level of assurance here, a sense of an artist stepping fully into his command of style and ensemble. He guides his actors toward performances big enough for the spoof yet grounded enough to matter, and the result is a production that feels unified, playful, and far smarter than its bonkers premise suggests.

Heather Westenskow’s choreography gives the production its irresistible pulse, filling the stage with movement that’s both era‑specific and wonderfully alive. She threads 1970s style through every number—disco struts, nightclub flourishes, and just enough kitsch to keep the spoof buoyant—yet nothing feels tossed off or ornamental. It’s smart, joyful work that lifts the entire production.

L to R: Isabella Duncan as Sister Mary Downey & ThurZday as Levora Verona | Photo credit: Tracy Doty

The production’s technical team deserves its own round of applause. Biz Schaugaard and Dean Arniotes supply a set that cleverly balances 1970s flair with the show’s tongue‑in‑cheek catastrophes, brought to vivid life by Cat Carris’s detailed scenic artistry. Jon Weeks’s lighting design keeps the action sharp and the mood shifting at just the right moments, while Russ Kirby’s sound engineering ensures every musical cue and comic beat lands cleanly. Costume lead Jennifer Middleton rounds it out with looks that capture the era’s exuberance without ever overwhelming the performers.

What ultimately sends Disaster! over the top—in the best possible way—is the alchemy between Tanner Kelly’s assured direction, Heather Westenskow’s buoyant choreography, and a cast that fires on every cylinder. The music drives the evening with irresistible energy, but it’s the nonstop laughs that keep the audience in a state of delighted surrender. Even if you don’t know a single song (and truly, how is that possible?), you’ll still find yourself raising the rafters with raucous laughter from beginning to end. It’s a gloriously silly, musically charged ride that never lets up. StageDoor, you’ve tipped your hand, and it’s a winning one.

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