Invasion! The Musical Attack of the Penis Snatchers! Date: August 20, 2007 Article Link: Click Here to Visit LAWeekly.com Author: Lovell Estell III

A more apt title for Aaron Matijasic’s hilarious musical satire would be “attack of the penis snatchers.” After a mysterious light appears in the sky, the inhabitants of Tucker County, New Mexico, panic and demand answers. The weight of the investigation rests on the shoulders of Sheriff Brewster (Will Harris), a potbellied mountain of a man who loves liquor and X-rated jokes. Things get stranger when old man Fletcher (Ben Giroux) turns up missing his genitals, walking like a zombie and chanting the names of menu items from a Mexican restaurant as if they were a sacred mantra. Among the populace joining the hunt for the terrifying, dick-pilfering aliens is an alcoholic, lecherous priest (Matt Falber), a blond bimbo (Kate Feld), two “ghetto hoochies” (Whitney Vigil and Nicole Gemma), Jesus (Al Rahn), Satan (Giroux), and even Dan Brown (Scott Burman), author of the Da Vinci Code. This nonstop comic orgy is freighted with ethnic jokes, scatology and gloriously disgusting ditties such as “Aborted Fetuses” and “Toxic Shock Syndrome.” Matijasic’s book and lyrics leave no room for any ethnic group’s dignity. The playwright also directs, keeping his fine ensemble’s shtick and physical comedy at just the right pitch. Hats off to composer/music director Billy Thompson for a beautifully crafted score. HUDSON BACKSTAGE THEATRE, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd., Hlywd.; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m.; thru Sept. 23. (323) 960-7612 (Lovell Estell III)

'Invasion' is funny in a junior high school sort of way Cheerfully obscene! Date: August 30, 2007 Article Link: Click Here to Visit LA Times' CalendarLive.com Author: By David Ng, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

JUST how funny you'll find "Invasion! The Musical" depends on your affinity for the kind of humor that appeals primarily to drunk undergraduates. Which is to say, anything involving cleavage, virgins, genitalia, homosexuality and uncontrollable flatulence.

Cheerfully obscene, this adults-only musical spoofs the age-old alien-invasion genre. When a UFO starts turning the citizens of a New Mexico suburb into zombies, it's up to Becky Brewster (Kate Feld), a buxom blond high schooler, to rally the townsfolk and defend the peace. Becky joins forces with the racist town sheriff (Will Harris), an alcoholic priest (Matt Falber), a lesbian anchorwoman (Jenny Weaver) and a nebbishy doctor (Aaron Matijasic).

The show amounts to a spiritual splicing of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and "Porky's." When the characters aren't busy fleeing the aliens, they're busy engaging in all kinds of non-procreative sexual congress.

The songs (written by Matijasic and Billy Thompson) feature some of the most creative profanity you'll likely hear this season. While most of the gags are executed in harmless tongue-in-cheek style, the show flirts dangerously -- and somewhat uneasily -- with a few controversial topics, as in a Broadway-style number about incest ("It don't count if it's Daddy!").

To bemoan the show's utter lack of taste is to miss the larger point, of course. "Invasion!" is a celebratory embrace of everything low-brow and offensive. In many ways, it's an assault on audience indifference. By the time Becky launches into a ballad about toxic shock syndrome while dancers swing large fluffy tampons around the stage, you're either having a blast or you've checked out long ago.

Invasion! The Musical (Hudson Backstage Theater; 99 seats; $25 top) Date: August 20, 2007 Article Link: Click Here to Visit Variety.com Author: Bob Verini

While the envelope-pushing raunchfest "Invasion! The Musical" boasts but one auteur -- librettist-lyricist-director-actor Aaron Matijasic -- it rather resembles the latenight handiwork of a team of drunken frat boys trying to top each other's nominations for Ultimate Grossout between extended bong hits. Show has a clear target aud in those who take glee in random potshots at sacred cows, and for whom the absence of satirical point is the point.

Show purports to describe the 1952 arrival of an alien race in Tucker County, N.M., whose denizens, convinced that Doomsday is at hand, elect to throw off their conventional values and run amuck in a riot of depravity, mostly of the sexual variety.

To Continue Reading the Variety Review, Click Here!

Invasion! The Musical It’s raunchy, nasty, and a whole lot of fun! Date: August 27, 2007 Article Link: Click Here to Visit LAStageScene.com Author: Steven Stanley

WARNING: If good taste and clean language are something you hold near and dear to your heart, do not, I repeat, do not see Invasion: The Musical. Never before has a musical comedy been so devoid of taste and full of absolutely filthy language.

I enjoyed it a lot!

The year is 1952 (despite occasional anachronisms) and the place is Tucker County, New Mexico, where residents dream of someday visiting a paradise called Albuquerque. Johnny, a horny varsity stud, and Becky, a busty young high school maiden, are out in Keller’s Field late one night. Stud has just convinced maiden to give up her virginity by telling her “I love you” in a song (pure lustful calculation on his part) when a green light suddenly appears in the sky, stud falls to the ground writhing, and moments later rises, zombie-like, babbling Taco Bell menu items, and lacking genetalia.

And that’s just the first scene. There’s lots more where that came from!

To Continue Reading the LAStageScene Review, Click Here!

Hilarious! The Musical Insanely Hilarious! Date: September 1, 2007 Article Link: Click Here to Visit PinkIsTheNewBlog.com Author: Pink Is The New Blog - Trent

We went to see Invasion! The Musical at the Hudson Theater in LA ... Darion's friend Matt features prominently in the show. I wasn't sure what to expect from such an off, off, off, off, way off Broadway musical but, I can assure you, I got more than I bargained for:

I don't know that I can put my feelings about the show into words. It's insanely hilarious and yet, extremely offensive and crass. The songs are very well written with smart and witty lyrics ... when you realize what they're singing about then you just have to shake your head and laugh your ass off. The show isn't for everyone; one person was so offended that he walked out about 20 mins. into the show, but it is a very funny show. There were many times where I said to myself, Damn, that is sooo wrong, but then I was laughing hysterically the next minute and all was forgotten and forgiven. I had a great time ... actually we all did. I wouldn't mind seeing the show again. I also wouldn't be at all surprised if there are bigger and better things in store for Invasion! The Musical.

Bad taste never tasted so good! This is simply a wonderful show, wearing its satire lightly, while good-naturedly poking fun at everything and everyone in sight. Brimming with infectious melodies and delightful lyrics, the score juggles wistful yearning ballads (at least 4 by my count) with outrageously over-the-top production numbers. Take warning: if you are easily offended or have no sense of humor, this show is not for you. Otherwise, it's a must-see!

August 25, 2007
Niles H. - Sherman Oaks, CA

I didn't think anyone in Los Angeles had the daring to put a show like this up, but I'm happy to see that someone is doing it. I haven't seen true, unabashed satire like this for a long time. Raunchy, scandalous, offensive, and absolutely hilarious. I laughed non-stop for two and a half hours. But be warned: this play is not for the faint of heart! But if you're looking for theater that redefines "pushing the limit," Invasion! is what you're looking for. Keep it up!

August 20, 2007
Michael L. - Huntington Beach, CA

A politically incorrect fringe musical about a New Mexico town being invaded by penis-snatching aliens is actually quite funny with a score that ranges from functional to great. The young cast is uniformly talented. Direction and choreography are mostly spot-on. Quite a pleasant surprise!

August 20, 2007
Tony A. - Studio City, CA

Very very funny and particularly bold for LA theatre. Hope to see more stuff like it in the future.

August 20, 2007
Annie T.

Nothing can prepare you for the depravity that is "Invasion:The Musical"...and I mean NOTHING. They cross every line in the book....in fact they leap over it and then beat it with a stick! But it was funny as hell and I laughed my butt off. Enjoy!

August 20, 2007
Emily Neisig

AMAZING. kitschy, unabashed fun. definitely "south park meets little shop of horrors"!

August 20, 2007
Alan Rodgers

Not only is this show filled with raunchy sex jokes, highly attractive women (and National Guardsmen), and more cheap shots than a Mike Tyson boxing match, but it is also a clever lampooning of every musical theatre archetype we've all come to know and love. If the "Music Man"-esque barbershop quartet singing about aborted fetuses doesn't get you, the Fosse-inspired nurses swinging huge tampons during the "Toxic Shock Syndrome" number will. The only bad thing about this show is the jokes are so merciless and so many that you find yourself missing some jokes because you're still laughing at the previous ones. Guess you'll have to see it twice!

August 20, 2007
Claudia Savino

This show is devilishly clever. It makes you laugh at all the things you know you shouldn't, but because it is done in such a sharply humorous way, one has no choice. I couldn't stop laughing and nor could the audience. This musical is groundbreaking, surely to go on to bigger and better stages in the future. It revolutionizes the stereotype of what a "musical" is. Kudos to this brave group of artists who are trying to break boundaries and contribute something truly original to the Los Angeles stage.

August 20, 2007
Roxy

I laughed, I cried, and I really did feel a burning sensation when I urinated. An amazing and talented cast had me laughing through out the entire show. It's hilarious and I recommend it to everyone!

August 20, 2007
Carlos K.

This show is something different I don't think I've seen..ever...a musical where the spoken lines seem to have been written by top notch comedy writer...Beyond funny this is a show that Bill Maher would love and so did I. Obviously a show with a cast of 24+ performers is a run is destined for bigger venues. If you can't get tickets to Wicked, this will be just as good...

Dueling 'Invasion' forces in L.A. Aliens land onscreen, on the stage Date: August 17, 2007 Article Link: Click Here to Visit Variety.com Author: Laura Clark

Visitors have often deemed L.A. a hub of otherworldly activity, and there's a full-on alien invasion under way this week.

Besides the extraterrestrials visitors landing in cineplexes in Warner Bros.' "The Invasion," local auds can find aliens onstage as well, in "Invasion! The Musical."

Coincidentally (or not -- this being Hollywood), the Hudson Theater bowed its "musical satire" the same weekend as the Nicole Kidman pic infiltrated the city.

Both tuner and film rep yet another incarnation of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers." While the tuner's website promises "kitschy spectacle" and "moral depravity." Warner's pic hews more closely to Jack Finney's 1955 novel.

But there's no doubt the tuner would be happy snatching bodies from the plexes.

Perhaps that was the plan all along.