Shake it where it's sleazy!"
been answered?
Do I need a theatre?
Definitely not. Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens is one of the only musicals that could be staged perfectly adequately in a large living room. We've seen it performed behind a proscenium, in traverse, end-on with a thrust, in the round and just about everything in between.
The fact is, it's set in a bar. You can create a stage set of a bar in a theatre, or just do it in a bar. Up to you. It works both ways. Lastly, if you don't have either, it's not hard to do it somewhere else - we once did it in a circus tent!
Does Booby have to be played by a man?
According to us, yes. But we're not going to sue you if you choose to cast a woman - we'd be interested to find out how it goes. We do think it's probably more powerful to reinforce the message that all forms of sexuality and gender are celebrated in our future, and also that men too, can be Space Vixens. Booby, as played by a man, is an important part of both of those ideas.
Can I use a chorus?
For sure. It wasn’t written with an ensemble in mind, but it's worked really well on many occasions - from few additional waitresses and cabaret artists right on up to huge chorus lines of dancing lip-stick tubes. Check out some of the galleries in the Show Zone and you can see just how effective it’s been. Plus, it’s a great way to get as many people involved as possible. Go for it!
Do I have to use the official artwork for my poster?
Not at all. The complete version is simply there for those groups who don't want to go to the trouble of creating new artwork or who lack access to the necessary software. Go ahead and design your own version. All we insist on is that the Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens 3-Vixen logo is featured in the design.
Does Shirley Tri-star have to be doubled with Chesty?
In trying to reinforce the idea that Bunny will be able to fall in love again, the dramatic metaphor of exactly the same person walking through the door in Act II works quite well. It's not coincidence that Shirley crashes into Saucy Jack’s, it's manifest theatrical destiny. This is hammered home a little more if it's obviously cast as a double.
What if I want to use a band?
You can. It works very well with live musicians playing on top of the tracks. It’s a little harder to use no tracks at all simply because the style of so much of the music is sequenced and electronic in nature. It changes the atmosphere immensely to use a live drummer and bass player and we’ve never found it worked that well, but there’s no reason you can’t do it. Horns certainly sound great over the top of the tracks.
Band parts are not available from us for the reasons above, but if you want to write your own then get in touch. We do supply a piano and vocal score.
Do I have to sell drinks at the bar?
Definitely not. It’s a nice touch if a member of the audience can buy a beer from Mitch or get a cocktail brought to them by Booby, but it’s certainly not essential. There are sometimes various laws and licensing issues involved and there are situations where it just won’t work. It really doesn’t make any difference to the show at all.
Is there a trick to getting the audience dancing?
There most certainly is, and it's a trade secret that we don't really want to publish here. If you obtain a licence, give us a call and we'll tell you how to do it.
How much cabaret should I have before the show?
Sometimes people put on a whole cabaret bill that leads seamlessly into the show, and sometimes the lights just go down and Whackoff starts to speak. It works either way, and to some extent it depends on the style of the venue you’re in. In an end-on theatre the show tends to start cleanly with the opening number, whereas in a fully functioning bar there’s more opportunity to play around with cabaret acts. Once again, it can be a nice touch and a fun opportunity to get more people involved but it’s by no means essential. How much of it you do is entirely up to you.
Do the audience have to sit at tables?
It’s another nice touch if it’s possible, and it’s a great thing to be able to do a show even if you haven’t got a theatre available, but it’s certainly not essential. If you have a theatre with fixed seats, don’t worry about it at all. Just get going...
Can I video my production?
Yes, you can video your production and you can share it around your company. However, you may not commercially exploit the recording in any way, and you are not permitted to upload it (or any clips from it) to the internet without our permission.
I want to license the show. What do I do now?
You give us a little bit of information about what you have in mind and you request a quote. You can do this right now on the Licensing Page where there is more information about how it works. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know all the details yet, you can fill in the blanks later or change your mind.