CATASTROPHE EQUALS HILARITY: Panache's ‘Disaster!' is anything but

Chase Harrison
2 days ago
6 min read

Let me tell you, readers, about my own personal disaster with Panache Theatrical Productions latest offer “Disaster: The Musical.” I only have 1,500 words to tell you how amazing this production is!

Panache returns to the Ruth and Bucky Stein black box venue at Thalian Hall after four years away. The same venue where the company staged such theatrical highlights as “Fun Home” in 2018 and “Lizzie” in 2019. These productions would go on to win the company the Outstanding Musical award at the Wilmington Theater Awards. I mention them in particular, as “Disaster: The Musical” presents Panache with every opportunity to add a third statue to their trophy shelf at next year’s awards.

Director Ben Thomas-Reid captains this laugh-out-loud production to a comedic peak. No sight-gag is too corny; no pun too is hammy for the tone Thomas-Reid creates; a tone that his phenomenal cast more than embodies on stage. In all seriousness, the work crafted on stage and off for “Disaster: The Musical” will easily make this production one of 2026’s most talked about.

If Friday night’s packed house of audience members, who’s sides were splitting and eyes watery from their roaring laughter is any indication to go off?

The musical is a hilarious send-up to the Disaster film genre that caught fire and flooded the market back in the '70s. In “Disaster: The Musical” each and every calamity imaginable takes place within the span of a single night aboard the grand opening of The Barracuda, a luxury floating casino and discothèque. A glamorous vessel that is docked right atop a shaky fault line, where expense was spared in its creation, and insurance fraud was most defiantly the motivation behind this maiden “voyage.” Imagine if Mel Brooks made “The Poseidon Adventure” and you’re halfway there.

Set in Manhattan circa 1979, the musical opens fast and the pace never slows from the first line delivered, “Hello?” A single line of dialogue springs the show into it’s opening number “Hot Stuff” by Donna Summer. An awesome madcap cover that finds a new and funny way to have each character connect their reason for being aboard to… well, wanting some hot stuff. You see, “Disaster: The Musical” is a jukebox musical, a Disco Era deep dive that Rolodexes from one classic to the next. The audience member who sat beside me, who matched each song word for word with the actors on stage, was a high sign that this is a Best-Of hits list for the decade.

With the black box surrounding, the production opted to use canned music in place of a live band being present. The production’s music director, Bryan Underwood, has done an incredible job in setting the tracks to highlight each of the singers voices. The pitch perfect precision of Amy Carter’s singing ability is an excellent example of this. Carter shines as the lovelorn lounge singer Jackie Noelle, belting out bangers like “Saturday Night” by Bay City Rollers and Gloria Gaynor’s “I will Survive.” Never does the canned music overpower the singers, allowing for the vocals to be the spotlight. Though the canned music does lead to some rushed dialogue exchanges between the actors, so as to not miss their pre-recorded notes.

The cast is an excellent assembly between the who’s who of the Wilmington theater scene, along with new faces sure to be seen all over it soon. Brenton Schraff and Josh Lowry are the first to take the stage as two bros looking to pick-up chicks as the busboys aboard the Barracuda. Schraff scores laughs as the de facto hero, bringing a Keanu Reeves-like energy to his role of the aptly named “Chad” as the ship flips, floods, and burns around him.

Smelling a scoop around the corner-cutting construction of the Barracuda is ace reporter Marianne Wilson portrayed by Casey Maples. A Lois Lane type who turned her back on love to chase her career; she also happens to be Chad’s ex-fiancée, who she left at the alter! Love still smolders between the two even as Maples tires to deny it with a drunken rendition of “I Am Woman” by Helen Reddy that scores laughs. The aim of Maples investigate is the developer of the Barracuda, Tony Delvecchio, who is brought to life by Brett Sicola with a gleeful despicability.

Devin DiMattia has shown off his comedic skills for years as a long-tenured member of the comedy group Pineapple-Shaped Lamps. As Professor Ted Scheider: Disaster Expert, DiMattia is giving full range to showcases those well-honed skills. His physicality during the “Hot Stuff” introduction number is like a starting pistol for the production’s brand of comedy. The comedian also lands laughs when he has to overcome his fear of heights to traverse a narrow plank to make a daring rescue. DiMattia and Carter share the song “Mockingbird” by Inez and Charlie Foxx to funny results as well.

Again, Amy Carter dazzles, embodying the camp aesthetic the production is going for from the word “Go.” The Actress’ physical comedy of running across the stage is sight gag gold. Pair it with the wide-eyed exaggerated expressions of doom and fright Carter hits her marks with each time, and laughs follow fast. While Carter’s vocals wow with the loud numbers; it’s the soul that she and Ivy Pearl Munoz gives to the shared number “When Will I Be Loved” by Linda Ronstadt that will resonate with audiences the most.

Munoz pulls double duty in the show, playing the twin children Ben & Lisa of Carter’s lounge singing starlet. Munoz leaps between roles by switching a hairbow out for a baseball cap to indicted which twin she is at any moment. It’s during a pulse pounding number that Munoz as Lisa carries the body of her injured brother (a humorlessly oversized doll at this moment) to safety, running in slow-mo while singing solo a cover of Michael Jackson’s hit “Ben.”

One of those new faces I mentioned earlier exploding onto the theater scene here, is Victoria Gibson playing Sister Mary Downey. Gibson rocks out in a nun’s habit all the while suppressing her sinful habit of gambling! From pronouncing Jesus as “Geez-Us,” to delivering a lustful solo of “Torn Between Two Lovers” by Mary MacGregor direct to a “Hawaii 5-0” themed slot machine. Gibson impresses as a nun torn between her vows and her habits.

While boasting a rather large body count, a plethora of severed limbs, and a full-size skeleton to boot; that doesn’t mean the show doesn’t have heart… Er, it does actually have a disembodied heart that is literally thrown overboard in a hilarious sight gag for the number “Three Times a Lady” by The Commodores, but that’s not what I’m talking about.

No, metaphorically speaking, the retired couple of Shirley & Murry Winters serves as a carpe diem love story. The aged lovebirds are given a zest for life by actors Heather Setzler and Jamey Stone, their shared number of “Still the One” by Orleans will warm even the coldest of hearts.

That said, allow me to spotlight Heather Setzler here for a moment. Who I believe delivers one of the fines and most well-developed comedic-performance that will be put to a Wilmington stage this year. Setzler, who has crafted many amazing roles, may have just played her masterpiece with the Shirley Winters role. From her first steps on stage the fully formed character of Shirley take the stage; sporting a grey curly wig, oversized grandma glasses, and an unflinching sense of optimism. In a dire moment for Chad and Marianne, trapped in a room with rising waters. Setzler leads the charge to save them by preforming a Morse code tap dance to the funky re-imagining “A Fifth of Beethoven” by Walter Murphy.

I cannot stress how amazing Heather Setzler is in “Disaster: The Musical” like holy shit amazing! She might also have the most poignant and memorable line of the entire show…

“Pee, Penis, Peehole!” And no, no I’m not giving context.

A self-proclaimed diva of the stage herself, Erin Sullivan slides right into the role of Disco Queen diva, Levora Verona. Though it’s with the production’s use of numerous and ever-changing wigs where Sullivan’s work really shines. Ever character rocks at least one wig through the run, and Sullivan seamlessly applies them all. If I didn’t know better, I would have assumed no wigs were used at all everyone’s hair looks so natural. So, when teamed up with Stephanie Amen excellently 70’s period costuming, the disco era feels alive and vibrant.

A clever use of projections, created by Karahann Kizer, are implemented to take the musical’s action from the top decks to the very bowels of the Barracuda. And Cole Marquis never fails to basket the Stein in exquisite lighting.

Don’t make the disastrous mistake of missing out on Panache’s hilarious production of “Disaster: The Musical,” not seeing this production would truly be a disaster!