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Crank Collective debuts Antartica

Updated: Friday, February 10 2012, 02:31 PM CST
By Rob Faubion, Austin On Stage, www.austinonstage.com

The new musical by Crank Collective takes unsuspecting cruise ship passengers - trapped in Antarctic pack ice - on an exuberant, rock musical tribute to explorer Ernest Shackleton. 

As a follow-up to last year's Austin Critics Table nominated production Drone, Crank Collective debuts the new rock comedy musical Antarctica - where unsuspecting cruise ship passengers trapped in the Antarctic battle frostbite, pack ice, and penguins in an exuberant tribute to explorer Ernest Shackleton. The production runs February 3 - 11 at The City Theatre.
    
In 1914, Irish-born Ernest Shackleton made his third trip to the Antarctic with the ship Endurance, planning to cross Antarctica via the South Pole.  Early in 1915, the ship became trapped in the ice, and ten months later sank.  Shackleton's crew had already abandoned the ship to live on the floating ice.
     
In April 1916, Shackleton took a five-man crew to find help, and the six men spent 16 days crossing 1,300 km of ocean to reach South Georgia and then trekked across the island to a whaling station. The remaining men from the Endurance were rescued in August 1916 - and not one member of the expedition died.
    
Using that story as a starting point, playwright, composer and director John Cecil has crafted a an over-the-top musical tribute to Ernest Shackleton.  Featuring a quasi-talented cruise ship entertainer, who is a direct descendant of Shackleford and who keeps trying to mount his four-hour musical tribute to his hero, the story includes a shady boat captain, a scheming mad scientist, and dancing hybrid Menguin.
     
The Antarctica staging a cast of six plus a four-person band, six professional dancers, two choreographers and five vocalists.  The cast features Carl Guthrie, Alexandra Russo, Rob Faubion, Cassidy Schiltz, Lucy Miller-Downing and Christian Huey.  Cecil leads the band that includes Jonathan Hoyle, Chris La Cava and Michael Walters.  The vocal ensemble includes Shannon McDermott, Matt Melton, Laura Burgess, Kerri Atwood and Doug Rensi, and the dancers include Kirsche Dickson, Yelena Konetchy, Laura Bond Williams, Sydnee Houlette , Payton Jones and Alma Zavala.
     
Crank Collective has a history of producing edgy, satirical musicals.  In 2011, their production Drone was nominated for an Austin Critics Table Award for "Best Musical Production."  Their first large production in 2009 - the H1N1-themed Epidemic of Fear: The Influenzical - was performed to packed houses of national and international audiences.  And the musical Insomnia followed the idea of an Insomnia Patch, which would eliminate the need for sleep.
    
Performances will run February 3, 4, 10 and 11, at 8 p.m.  Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for seniors and children. 
   
The City Theatre is located at 3823 Airport Blvd., Bldg. D, at the corner of Airport and 51st Street.  For more information and reservations, call (512) 569-6155 or visit www.AntarcticaShow.com.

(Image courtesy Crank Collective)
Crank Collective debuts Antartica