“Waist Watchers” will make you laugh off your weight.
From chin hairs to weight gain, the struggles of middle age are illustrated vividly through song and dance in the Herberger Theater’s “Waist Watchers.”
The play is about middle-aged women and the moments of disappointment and happiness they experience. It knows its audience intimately, although other demographics may not be as captivated by the storyline or may not find the struggles quite as relatable.
When I went, the audience was full of middle-aged ladies, who hooted in agreement to the characters’ complaints and clapped in celebration when fitness instructor Carla (Kiley L. McDonald) ate a box of Whoppers with orgasmic bliss.
The atmosphere was lively and interactive, which the actresses helped facilitate. After Carla has her “special moment” with chocolate candy, the lights shine on the audience, and she stares at the exposed observers like a deer in headlights.
In a hilarious, fourth-wall-breaking moment, she grabs a bag of Hershey’s Kisses and calls out, “Raise your hand if you won’t tell anyone!” She then dashes around the theater, passing out silver-wrapped candy to grinning audience members with their hands up in wordless promises of silence.
This is one of the many ways “Waist Watchers” draws its audience in, making them feel like one of the girls working out in Miss Cooke’s Training Academy.
One of the funniest performances is by Krissy Johnson, as Cheryl. When she’s not on stage singing about the perils of Viagra and her overly-amorous husband, Cheryl is in the background dancing, singing or wearing a hilarious face.
In one extended candy-themed musical number, she stands in the background as the other characters talk, grinning widely and waving at the audience while she wears a Crunch costume. Her understated physical comedy kept me entertained and amused whenever my eyes drifted from the action and found her smiling in the background.
Some of the songs’ melodies distract from their meanings because they sound eerily similar to classics. Despite the talented voices of the cast, and the well-timed, funny choreography, it’s easy to get distracted from the performance while trying to discern which famous song inspired a current number.
“Waist Watchers” is a show full of friendship, fun and plenty of fat-burning, both for the characters jumping around and the audiences putting in cardio from laughing.
The musical runs through Feb. 25 at Herberger Theater. Tickets are available for purchase online.
Contact the columnist at sosulli2@asu.edu.
