M&W; takes to saddles in Westward Who?

In a whirlwind of slinky bustiers and hairy legs, Mask and Wig, the all-male comedy theater group, is saddling up its plastic horses in preparation for its new musical Westward Who? True to the Mask and Wig traditon, Westward Who? is a zanily clever lampoon that satirizes the commonly held stereotypes of life on the Western frontier. "It's a spoof on the Western genre," said Dave Gibboni, the show's producer and a 1982 University graduate. "It's all the familiar trappings of westerns done in a farcical way." The show draws upon a number of cultural icons to achieve its humor, from Rogers and Hammerstein musicals to Grateful Dead lyrics and Wayne's World-type dialogue. The men can be seen doing anything from a seductive dance in a seedy saloon to Reagan-like campaigning in hideously appropriate 10 piece suits. "This is after they kill Ivana and they dance around with her corpse," explained Gibboni as two cast members practiced their moves during a break. And the Wiggers have moves in abundance in this year's performance. Kathy Garrinella, Temple University theater professor and Mask and Wig choreographer of nine years, has been working with the cast extensively. She has choreographed dances ranging from a march that turns into a funky hip-hop to the traditional tap number. "They've really done very well in a relatively short period of time," Garrinella said. Besides the additional dancing, Westward Who? is sporting a couple of new twists not seen in previous Mask and Wig shows. "From the shows that I've been in I like this one the best because it's got a stack of dominant characters," said Christian Fletcher, Westward Who? co-writer, cast member and College senior. The freshmen are also playing larger roles than they have in the past. College freshman Brennan Carlson, who plays Anna Kawnda, the "torchy salon singer," is very enthusiatic about his first Mask and Wig show. "I think it's great," Carlson said. "I'm really impressed with the talent level that was put into the writing." It seems almost all of the Mask and Wig members are equally enthusiastic about the show as opening night approaches. "It is guaranteed to be the best Mask and Wig show that anyone at Penn, right now, has ever seen," said Fletcher confidently. Even Charles Seymour Jr., Westward Who? director and 1975 Wharton graduate has high expectations. "I think everyone can expect a well-packed night of very strong music, lots of laughs and tons of dancing," said Seymour. Westward Who? opens today and continues every Thursday, Friday and Saturday through March 27 at the Mask and Wig clubhouse on Quince Street.

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