‘Ruthless’ Laughs With Valley Rep

The Valley Repertory Theatre opens a wild and campy musical comedy, “Ruthless,” on Friday. It continues through May 25.

This Joel Pailey/Marvin Laird offBroadway hit is about a third-grader named Tina Denmark who wants to be a star. At least, she wants to be Pippi Longstocking in her school play. She’ll stop at nothing to get the part, not even (cue the ominous music) murder.

Tina attends the Daisy Clover School for Psychopathic Ingenues, which should give you some idea of the kind of campy comedy this show contains.

The Valley Rep’s production is directed and choreographed by Troy Nickerson, with musical direction by Thara Cooper and Michael Mills.

Chassie Guinn plays Tina, and Cooper plays her mom. The cast also includes Kathie Doyle-Lipe, Troy Heppner, Leslie Hauk, Wendy Jordan and Lisa Long.

The show runs Friday, Saturday, Sunday and May 9-12, 16-19 and 23-25. Showtimes are at 8 p.m., except Thursday shows at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $10, $9 for seniors and $8 for students. Call 927-6878 for reservations. The Valley Repertory Theatre is a community theater at the southwest corner of Sprague and Pines in the Spokane Valley.

, DataTimes