Just before last Sunday’s performance of The Goonies: A Parody, producer Ron Strawbridge urged viewers not to cross the lines of tape on the floor. The production, he said, is the most ambitious Cherokee Street Theatre Company has ever attempted. Failure to take precautions could easily result in a collision with actors running up and down the aisles.
The company’s high-octane approach is just right for its delightful show. It’s a spoof of the 1985 cult classic about kids who find themselves in an Indiana Jones–like adventure.
The similarity to a Steven Spielberg thriller is no accident. Spielberg produced the film, which is based on a story he wrote. His distinguished collaborators were screenwriter Chris Columbus (who directed Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire, and the first two Harry Potter films) and director Richard Donner (who also directed The Omen, Superman I and II, and the Lethal Weapon series).
In 2017, the Library of Congress chose The Goonies for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.
The movie’s title is the name a group of teenagers have given themselves because they live in the Goon Docks neighborhood of Astoria, Oregon. Near the start of the film, the Goonies are meeting at the Walshes’ home for a weekend gathering they expect to be their last. A country club with plans to expand is about to foreclose on their parents’ houses.
In the Walshes’ attic, the Goonies find a 17th century coin and a map to the treasure buried by the pirate One-Eyed Willy. Hoping the treasure will enable them to save their homes, the Goonies follow the map to a ramshackle building that used to be a restaurant. Now it is the hideout of the Fratelli crime family: Francis, Jake. and Mama. They went on the lam after breaking Jake out of jail in the opening scene. As the Goonies search for the treasure in caves below the building, they must elude the Fratellis and a slew of booby traps set by One-Eyed Willy.
Unlike some pop-culture parodies seen in St. Louis, Cherokee Street’s spoof of The Goonies does not condense the original’s plot. Viewers unfamiliar with the film should have no trouble following the story as they enjoy the waggish lines and physical comedy. The scene after the jailbreak is a remarkable evocation of a car chase. One particularly nice touch is the homage to the role in the Marvel Film Universe filled by Josh Brolin, the actor who was Brand in The Goonies.
Fans of the movie will get even more from the parody. They will enjoy the cleverness of Cherokee Street’s spoof because they know what is being sent up. The audience at the performance I attended must have been fans of the movie because they not only laughed at the play’s hijinks but also applauded them. I’m sure the clapping meant that I was not alone in appreciating Cherokee Street’s ability to find humorous replacements for movie magic on a shoestring budget. The company continually rises to the challenges posed by the Rube Goldberg device, the careening boulder, and many other effects.
Director Suki Peters once again demonstrates her flair for satire. She has a top-notch cast. The Goonies are played by:
- Adam Thenhaus as Mikey
- Brennan Eller as Mouth
- Jesse Kwe as Data
- Rob Mclemore as Chunk
- Patience Davis as Stef and others
- Payton Gillam as Andi and others
- Nic Tayborn as Brand and others
The Fratellis are played by:
- Amy Kelly as Mama and others
- Ben Ritchie as Jake and others
- John Wolbers as Francis and others
- Chris “Dr.” Jones as Sloth and others
Luis Castro plays Troy, Rosalita, One-Eyed Willie and others, and Joseph Garner has a cameo as Mr. Perkins. The admirable technical contributions include sound by Jeff Roberts, costumes by Kayla Lindsay, lighting by Joel Wilper, video by Dan Foster, poster art by Stan Davis, and props by Stan Davis, Amy Kelly, Payton Gillam, and Chuck Winning
The final performances are at 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. on December 9 at Upstairs at the Golden Record, 2720 Cherokee Street. For more information and tickets, visit https://www.cherokeestreettheatercompany.com/shows.
—Gerry Kowarsky
Photo by Suki Peters
The Fratellis fleeing the scene of a jailbreak in The Goonies: A Parody. From the left, John Wolbers as Francis, Amy Kelly as Mama, and Ben Ritchie as Jake.
