Min Kahng Exposes Senior High Jinx in Raucous Comedy

by Mary Lou Herlihy

–first published on March 13, 2025, for the TheatreWorks co-production.
There may be changes of performers in the Center REP show.

A horny grandma and her self-obsessed granddaughter light up the stage with comedic timing and musical gifts. In grandma’s bedroom at the Happy Pleasant Valley Senior Apartments, men are dropping faster than red herrings and sex toys.

When we meet frisky June (fabulous Emily Kuroda), she’s in bed with Lionel (Michael Patrick Gaffney). After taking his little blue pill, Lionel drops dead. “Shit,” says June, raising the stakes in a hilarious scene. Lionel is the second man to turn up dead after sex with grandma June.

The mystery twists and turns, full of false clues and funny visual gags—ties, pies, and a red jumpy jiggler (for the bedroom)! The wacky characters hold our attention.

The horny elders at Happy Pleasant Valley kick things into high gear during a riotous song about seniors “getting it on.” Dirty dance moves by the ensemble shock June’s granddaughter Jade (sizzling Sophie Oda). But Jade’s cameraperson, Dean (Miller Liberatore) thinks the sexy oldsters are DOPE.

Sophie Oda brings selfish Jade to life with joy and ease. When Jade mugs for the camera, we see through this self-absorbed twenty something. In “Self-Made-Jade,” she sings about her own “greatness.” Jade claims she can help US become great too. Sounds familiar.

Bubbling with sweet innocence, Dee Dee (delightful Cindy Goldfield) and her Debbie Downer buddy Vicki (captivating Lucinda Hitch Cone) brim with comedic gusto. Sophisticated Bernice (Jacqueline De Muro) plays Queen Bee and dresses the part in fancy blouses and coiffed hair. Vicki’s obsession with the squirrels has us all curious.

Mort (glowing Danny Scheie) cracks us up as he eagerly awaits his video interview with Jade. He locks his gaze on the camera as he sings about his newfound identity as a bisexual man. Mort sings “Catching Up” while stylish pink gels and floating white orbs turn June’s living room into a nightclub.

Arnel Sancianco designed a smartly convincing ‘Rossmoor meets Assisted Living’ set, with puzzles, board games, and bulletin boards announcing upcoming activities. While attendant Cara (versatile Rinabeth Apostol) oversees activities from a pushcart, she delivers droll quips. She threatens June with eviction.

The stellar live band keeps things moving. Composer/lyricist Min Kahng mixes upbeat rhythms with clever turns of phrase. Artie Storch’s percussion adds just the right blend of tongue in cheek commentary. The score easily accommodates a range of vocal levels. Oda’s voice stands out.

When Jade sings “The Frame Comes Apart,” we feel her isolation. One audience member burst out with a “WOW!” Oda nails it!

Since HPV is, after all, a musical, the conflicts are resolved with a big, raucous climax. The horny septuagenarians find new shenanigans amidst the comic murders. The mystery may be compelling for some, I say come for the laughs.

This HPV is worth spreading.

 

“Happy Pleasant Valley, A Senior Sex Scandal Murder Mystery Musical” –book, music, & lyrics by Min Kahng, directed by Jeffrey Lo, co-produced with TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, music direction by William Liberatore, lighting design by Kurt Landisman, at Center REP, Walnut Creek, California.

Info: CenterREP.org – to June 29, 2025.

Cast: Rinabeth Apostol, Jacqueline De Muro, Michael Patrick Gaffney, Cindy Goldfield, Lucinda Hitchcock Cone, Emily Kuroda, Miller Liberatore, Sophie Oda, Danny Scheie, Melissa Mei Jones, Lee Ann Payne, and Mickey Skinner.

Banner photo: Lucinda Hitchcock Cone, Michael Patrick Gaffney, Jacqueline De Muro, Danny Scheie, and Cindy Goldfield. Photos: Kevin Berne