DISASTER! THE MUSICAL

Disaster! is a jukebox musical comedy created by Seth Rudetsky, and written by Seth Rudetsky and Jack Plotnick as a spoof of 1970s disaster films. Earthquakes, tidal waves, piranhas, infernos, and the songs of the ’70s take center stage in this comedic homage to The Poseidon Adventure and The Towering Inferno.

Most of the action takes place aboard a floating casino outside of New York City. My favorite character was Sister Mary, a nun who wants to stop the evils of gambling (and worse!) on this Ship of Sleaze, but we find out Sister Mary also has a serious problem.

The music from the 1970s both brought back memories and injected plenty of humor into the wacky situations as the boat begins to sink. If you’re looking for a silly musical that will make you laugh and tap your toes, don’t miss Disaster! if it comes to your neighborhood! Do you remember these songs? Any favorites? GRADE: A

Act I
Song Original artist Songwriter(s) Performer(s)
Hot StuffDonna Summer Summer, Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte Chad, Scott, Scheider, Tony and Ensemble
The Lord’s PrayerSister Janet Mead Traditional; arranged by Arnold Strals. Sister Mary
Do You Know Where You’re Going ToDiana Ross Michael Masser and Gerry Goffin. Levora
Saturday NightBay City Rollers Bill Martin and Phil CoulterJackie and Ensemble
Do You Wanna Make LovePeter McCann McCannTony and Marianne
Without YouBadfinger Pete Ham and Tom Evans. Chad
I Am Woman /That’s the Way I’ve Always Heard It Should BeHelen Reddy /Carly Simon Reddy and Ray Burton /Simon and Jacob Brackman Marianne and Lisa
MockingbirdInez & Charlie Foxx Inez and Charlie Fox Jackie and Scheider
Still the OneOrleans John Hall and Johanna Hall. Shirley and Maury
Never Can Say Goodbye / Torn Between Two LoversThe Jackson 5 /Mary MacGregor Clifton Davis / Peter Yarrow and Phillip Jarrell Sister Mary
FeelingsMorris Albert Louis Gasté and Albert Scheider, Marianne and Chad
Feels So GoodChuck Mangione Mangione. (Instrumental)
Knock on WoodEddie Floyd Floyd and Steve Cropper. Levora and Ensemble
Hawaii Five-OThe Ventures Morton Stevens (Instrumental)

Act II
Song Original artist Songwriter(s) Performer(s)
All Right NowFree Andy Fraser and Paul Rodgers. (Instrumental)
You’re My Best FriendQueen John Deacon. Chad and Scott
Three Times a LadyThe Commodores Lionel Richie Chad and Wealthy Husband
BenMichael Jackson Walter Scharf and Don Black Ben, Lisa, Maury, Shirley and Sister Mary
Baby Hold OnEddie Money. Money and Jimmy LyonMarianne
25 or 6 to 4Chicago Robert Lamm. Cast
Sky HighJigsaw Clive Scott and Des Dyer. Cast
When Will I Be LovedLinda Ronstadt Phil Everly Ben, Lisa and Jackie
Nadia’s ThemeBarry DeVorzon and Perry Botkin Jr. DeVorzon and Botkin Jr.(Instrumental)
Don’t Cry Out LoudMelissa Manchester Peter Allen and Carole Bayer Sager. Tony
Come to MeFrance Joli Tony Green. Levora and Sister Mary
I’d Really Love to See You Tonight“. England Dan and John Ford Coley. Parker McGee Chad and Marianne
Knock Three TimesTony Orlando and Dawn Irwin Levine and L. Russell Brown(Instrumental)
I Will SurviveGloria Gaynor Dino Fekaris and Freddie Perren. Jackie and Tony
A Fifth of BeethovenWalter Murphy Ludwig van Beethoven and MurphyShirley and Cast
ReunitedPeaches and Herb Fekaris and Perren. Chad, Marianne and Scheider
DaybreakBarry Manilow Manilow and Adrienne Anderson Cast
Hooked on a Feeling B.J. Thomas Mark James Cast
Bows/ “Never Can Say Goodbye” Gloria Gaynor Clifton Davis. Cast

14 thoughts on “DISASTER! THE MUSICAL

  1. Deb

    No surprise that I remember ALL of these songs (not all of them fondly, but still…). Not sure this show would be for me though—it has a bit of a “Rock of Ages” feel to me.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Deb, you and John would enjoy the humor in DISASTER! The musical choices serve to punctuate the wacky plot invoking even more laughter.

      Reply
  2. Steve+A+Oerkfitz

    Sounds awful. The only songs I like are Knock On Wood and When Will I Be Loved. A large number I detest like Ben, Feelings, Still the One, I Am Woman, Baby Hold On, 25 to 6 to 4, Hooked On A Feelings. Just a horrible selection of songs.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Steve, horrible…but funny! Each of these familiar songs, when triggered by the silliness on the stage, drew roars of laughter from the audience!

      Reply
  3. Patti Abbott

    I remember most of them, not all fondly as Deb said. This is a new musical for me. Hasn’t come through Detroit.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Patti, DISASTER! had a short run on BROADWAY. Diane and I saw this performance by a local musical theater group with a sold-out audience. We laughed from start to finish!

      Reply
  4. Jeff+Meyerson

    I disagree with Steve about “Still the One,” but admit there are a lot of songs I would just as soon NEVER hear again – I Am Woman, Feelings, Do You Know Where You’re Going To, Daybreak. I only actually like a few – Knock on Wood (of course), Mockingbird, the Hawaii Five-O theme, When Will I Be Loved come to mind first.

    Sounds like silly fun, but I haven’t seen it in New York, not even off- or off-off-Broadway, which is actually somewhat surprising.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Jeff, the songs are used to create comic effects. You may or may not like the songs in DISASTER! but when the cast starts singing them, you’ll at least chuckle!

      Reply
  5. Cap'n Bob

    I’m with Jeff on “Still the One” but it’s hard for me to conceive of that many songs in one show even if they run about three minutes each!
    After months of headaches with various electrical devises the latest disaster is my phone! For some reason it won’t allow me access to Facebook! Someone suggested I uninstall it and reinstall it! It was easy to uninstall but reinstalling it is one of the Labors of Hercules! Even the girl at MetroPCS failed! Pfui!!!

    Reply
  6. Todd Mason

    Yeah, quite a lot of difficult-to-avoid music, some from the ’60s. Could be fun. Wonder how much the rights would cost for video.

    As your useful link informs us: ‘”Nadia’s Theme”, originally titled “Cotton’s Dream”, is a piece of music composed by Barry De Vorzon and Perry Botkin Jr. in 1971. It was originally used as incidental music for the 1971 film Bless the Beasts and Children, and is better known as the theme music to the television soap opera The Young and the Restless since the series premiered in 1973. “Cotton’s Dream” was renamed “Nadia’s Theme” after it became associated with Olympic gymnast Nadia Comăneci during and after the 1976 Summer Olympics.’ Busy composition…still think I should look up Swarthout’s novel the disappointing film was based on.

    Reply

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