Totally Awesome!
The Awesome family has been so successful at fighting Champion City crime that they have decided to release all the villains. Yes, General Mayhem, Corporal Punishment, and the others in the Army of Evil are free.
The Awesome family now travels to where crime fighters are needed. Meanwhile the youngest, Annie Awesome, is at odds with being in a superhero family as she’s often stuck doing not so heroic tasks. She meets normal citizen Fiona who dreams of making a real difference in the world. They sing “Only Me” and decide to trade places for the day.
What are the villains up to after ten years in prison? Well, pickleball of course! Oh! And they decide to rule the world by making everyone crazy with “Little Tiny Annoying Things.” They are successful and the citizens of Champion City are overwhelmed. So are the heroes who go on strike.
Annie inspires the citizens to realize they don’t need powers to be super in the song, “We Can Be Super.” Together in an epic slow-motion battle they defeat the Army of Evil, thus saving the mayor’s job, protecting the tree frogs, and most important, rescuing the Awesomes!
Productions
Behind The Scenes
With Stephen Murray
What inspired you to write this musical?
I have wanted to write a superhero musical for a long time. I have always enjoyed the old TV shows with George Reeves as Superman and Adam West as Batman. And the Super Friends on a Saturday morning was a must-see show for me. Superheroes have become an important part of our entertainment culture with the Marvel and DC movies. Amazing powers lead to amazing stories. The opportunity arose for me to write something new for a new theater workshop. It seemed like the perfect time to create a superhero musical.
What's your favorite part or line in the musical? Why?
My favorite part is when…Spoiler Alert….the ordinary people of Champion CIty become the superheroes, invent super personas, and dress in homemade costumes. The idea of the school crossing guard becoming Doctor Octagon has been in my head for a long time. I was so excited the first time we rehearsed the battle scene with Doctor Octagon and the other new heroes.
Where did the characters come from? Are they based on people you know?
Sadly, I don’t know any actual superheroes. They would be quite helpful with yard work. These characters are not based on real people, but there are elements to each character that many people will find familiar, particularly in the song ‘Little Tiny Annoying Things.’
What did you try to achieve with this musical?
I hope young people who perform in this show and watch this show will come away from the experience with a reminder that people don’t need superpowers to make a difference in the world. The way to be a hero is to be a person who cares and to demonstrate that caring through action.
Do you have anything else you'd like to add?
I hope everyone who produces this show has as much fun as we did at Calliope Theater with the workshop production. Our cast, crew, and audience had a great time.