Customer Reviews

Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public

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I've never seen this show, and it's difficult to find a detailed review. From what I understand, audiences enjoyed this show when it opened in New York, but the critics so universally trashed the show that it closed after a mere sixteen performances. Why the disconnect? First of all, there's the subject content: legalized prostitution. Secondly, there's the commentary: the glitzy tackiness of American business, politics, and culture in the 1990's. Thirdly, and most damning of all: all the cleverness of the show is hidden behind the tackiness that it is trying to satirize. From listening to the show, it appears as if THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE GOES PUBLIC (BLWGP) is light, frothy entertainment that deserves to be known by a wider public. Maybe I'd feel different if I saw the show.

THE STORY:
Believe it or not, the prologue for BLWGP is based on fact, not fiction: in Nevada, where prostitution is legal, a crooked guy sets up a brothel, here named "Stallion Fields." The government eventually closes the brothel down, not for the sexual acts occurring inside, but for the owner not paying taxes! The rest of the show is fiction, imagining what would have happened if the IRS had hired the heroine of THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS (BLWT), Miss Mona Stangley, to manage Stallion Fields profitably. Mona obtains the help of Sam Dallas, her old flame who is a financial genius (and NOT a character from BLWT). After a successful IPO, a conservative Southern Senator forces Mona to testify before a Congressional hearing. Mona makes such a stellar defense of her business that she receives national attention and makes history in a big way.

THE MUSIC:
The cleverness of the show is in the storytelling quality of Carol Hall's infectious score. Sure, a few of the songs are merely mediocre (such as "Down and Dirty" and "Here for the Hearing"), but the others are fantastic. The prologue, "Let the Devil Take Us," combines the story of the creation of Stallion Fields with glimpses into the Las Vegas culture, complete with a sleazy comedian in a turquoise suit and impersonators of Sonny and Cher, Sigfried and Roy, Diana Ross, Liza Minelli, Ann-Margret, and Elvis. Mona's farewell to the Lone Star State is a joyous hoedown in which she rattles off the names of dozens of Texas towns. Sam explains that the solution to Stallion Field's tax debt is "Workin' the Street," but he doesn't mean that the girls should walk the Vegas Strip, he means that he needs to press the flesh on Wall Street. "Call Me" is an over-the-top production number about how Mona and her girls expand their business with corporate soundness. The curtain call reprises some of the earlier music, with IRS agents singing caveats to the audience, the impersonators doing a final stint, and Mona bidding farewell to a list of famous men she's superseded.

This musical is nowhere NEAR as good or as full of heart (or even as believeable) as the original (Best Little Whorehouse in Texas) but it does have some really great music. Dee Hoty does an excellent job as Mona Stangley. The plot is a little unbelieveable: The IRS assumes ownership of a whorehouse in Nevada (where prostitution is legal) and they hire Mona to run it, apprently she's that famous. Mona then inquires of her old flame (not the sherrif from the first musical) on how to run the business. He comes up with the idea of "going public" meaning offering the business on the stock market. The plot escalates from there, complete with all the trimmings, including a preacher dead set against the whorehouse (by the name of A. Harry Hardast). All's well that ends well, of course, and not only does Mona and her man make plenty of dough, but Mona decides to run for president, to become the first "Madam" I think this show is funny and charming, and definetely worth a listen.

I consider myself a huge fan of the original musical, The Best Little Whorehouse and was so excited when I learned that a sequel was written and produced! Even though it was a huge flop it still somehow managed to produce a cast album. Not having a computer and local record stores not being able to order it I went on a year search till I finally found it in an New York City record store. Luckily the music was good enough to live up to my anticipation. Some very cute songs such as I'm Leavin' Texas, the 12 minute Prologue and Call Me make this CD an often listened to addition to my collection. The talents of Dee Hoty (City of Angels) and the unknown to me Scott Holmes are wonderful in their vocal talents! The script which I have read really was pretty terrible and the character of Senator Harry Hardast is way too similar to that of Melvin P. Thorpe but the songs are worth it. Like Annie Warbucks and Bring Back Birdie, two other terrible musical sequels, The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public is great addition to any Broadway CD collection and just think how easy it is for you to buy it, I had to search for a whole year... go for it... you will enjoy it!

I enjoy all sorts of stage shows, and have an ever-expanding collection of soundtrack CD's thanks to Amazon, but there is just not much in this sequel to the original. None of the songs stick in your head once done listening. I give the show's creator an A for effort in the liner notes for his enthusiasm (he gushes about how good the show is), but in the end it's one show you probably won't listen to more than once.