Ruthless! The Musical
Must-See Production at Island City Stage
By: Aaron Krause - Nov 19, 2025
A confident 9-year-old Tina Denmark points a gun at the audience at the end of Island City Stage’s uproarious professional production of the musical spoof Ruthless! The Musical. Tina doesn’t say much while brandishing the gun, but the subtext is clear: “Don’t even think of interfering with my just-hatched plan to make it big in Hollywood!”
Nine-year-old performer Daisy Tanner absolutely “kills it” as Tina, and for the most part, so does the rest of the cast in ICS’s production, which runs through Dec. 7 in the company’s intimate black box theater in Wilton Manors. Under Artistic Director Andy Rogow’s inspired, over-the-top direction, the cast nails the satirical tone of Ruthless!, an all-female musical that spoofs shows such as Gypsy and Mame, as well as films including The Bad Seed and All About Eve.
Undoubtedly, Ruthless! The Musical is a theater and culture lover’s dream, packed with references to familiar musicals and films. ICS’s vivacious production offers some of the most fun you’re likely to have at the theater this year. The show runs about two hours and 10 minutes, including intermission. While Ruthless! is mostly an escapist show, it might leave you wondering how far you would go to accomplish something.
A Star-Studded Cast Brings Satire to Life
In addition to Tanner, the cast includes Michael Ursua in drag as talent agent Sylvia St. Croix; Lindsey Corey as Judy and later Ginger; Maribeth Graham as Tina’s third-grade teacher, Miss Thorn; Leah Sessa as Louise and later Eve; and Aaron Bower as the caustic theater critic Lita Encore, Tina’s formidable grandmother.
Tanner, a South Florida native who has been performing since she was three months old, demonstrates the talent, confidence, and stage presence of a seasoned performer, setting the tone for an exuberant, high-energy show. With blonde hair and pigtails running down her chest, Tanner looks adorable.
Tina: Not Your Typical Child Star
Ruthless! The Musical is a 1992 Off-Broadway award-winning musical that has enjoyed success in New York and regionally — including South Florida, where a production played the Colony Theatre in Miami Beach in 1995. But if Ruthless! is new to you, a refresher is in order.
Eight-year-old Tina Denmark is hardly Annie Warbucks. In fact, she may be a parent’s worst nightmare. The youngster knows she was born to play Pippi Longstocking in her school’s musical, and she’ll do anything to win the part — including murdering the leading young lady. While we certainly don’t condone such actions, we laugh, knowing that this show is a spoof. Librettist and lyricist Joel Paley and composer Marvin Laird never meant for us to take it too seriously.
Ruthless! is a campy musical with a complex plot and twists that embrace the ridiculous, and the characters may not be who they say they are. While the action is fast-paced, Rogow’s direction makes the story easy to follow. Although the actors’ portrayals are mostly over-the-top, they play their roles with sincerity, which enhances the humor.
“This is the theater, not the playground. We’re not here to have fun,” Miss Thorn says at one point. But in ICS’s production, it looks and sounds as though the actors are having a ball.
Camp, Humor, and Metatheatrical Fun
And while, to their credit, they don’t appear to be trying to show off, the musical incorporates some metatheatrical humor. That means parts of the show call attention to themselves as a musical. For instance, at one point, Tina points at the audience — not the gun, but her finger.
Speaking of musicals, Tina’s theater critic grandmother hates them. However, “I fear they’re here to stay,” she says, apparently resigned to that fact. Of course, we know more than she does, so we take pleasure in thinking about all the musicals that have enjoyed widespread acclaim.
Encore’s Diva Energy and Ursua’s Graceful Sylvia
Bower, as the critic, enters the action like a force of nature and is loud and brassy, a la Ethel Merman. Her shimmering outfit (designed by W. Emil White) matches her outsized performance. Watching and listening to her, you figure that Bower would shine as characters such as Mama Rose in Gypsy. The blonde-haired, bluish-eyed Bower plays the character with diva energy and consistently commands the stage. However, Bower doesn’t quite come across as a stereotypical acerbic, cynical theater critic. The performance could use a dash of nastiness.
A couple of character descriptions of talent agent Sylvia St. Croix describe her as sharp-tongued and in-your-face, but Ursua’s performance never makes the character unlikable. Sure, she’s confident and businesslike, but Ursua’s Sylvia conveys more grace and polish than others give the character credit for. Unquestionably, as Ursua plays her, Sylvia has a heart of gold and is determined to make young Tina into a star. As you listen to her, it’s clear that Ursua is playing the character in drag, emphasizing the show’s over-the-top nature.
Teachers, Mothers, and Transformations
As Tina’s teacher, Graham at first looks overly cheerful, but you sense that her smile is trying to mask disappointment and frustration. Graham eventually lets the character’s mask drop, and her exasperation clearly shows. The transition from seemingly cheerful to displeasure doesn’t seem forced; rather, Graham lets it happen gradually, and it’s mostly unnoticeable. With multiple pencils holding up the bow on the top of her brownish hair, Graham’s Miss Thorn certainly looks comical, befitting this hilarious show.
Corey, an award-winning South Florida performer extraordinaire who shines on whatever stage she’s on, is at the top of her game here too. When the show begins, her Judy Denmark is blissful, content, and simple — looking and sounding like a housewife straight out of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. Her bright costume (designed by W. Emil White) matches her sunny personality. To Corey’s credit, she transitions seamlessly to ultra-confident and seductive Broadway star Ginger del Marco. By Act Two, instead of wide-eyed, sunny Judy Denmark, Corey’s Ginger is worldly and stuck-up, shooting looks that suggest superiority.
Leah Sessa also does excellent work in the double roles of Louise and Eve, matching Ginger and Encore’s competitiveness and intensity. If you’re familiar with the shows Ruthless! parodies, the names of Sessa’s characters will make sense and delight you.
High Stakes and Show-Stopping Stage Pictures
Rogow’s direction suggests high-stakes competition during moments such as when, in Act Two, the now-famous Ginger and her daughter Tina, back from “prison,” stand practically nose to nose. They are, indeed, “locked in competition.”
Rogow also creates striking stage pictures such as Tanner’s Tina raising her arm in triumph while standing on a table. While on the table, Tanner’s Tina tap dances seemingly effortlessly. The young performer, with shining dark eyes and impressive stage presence, is a true triple threat. Tanner doesn’t settle for acting merely cute but imbues Tina with convincing confidence, determination, and fearlessness. When mom asks Tina whether she did something dastardly or is just acting, she emits an evil laugh. Then, suddenly, she turns innocent, saying, “I wanted the part” (as in the school musical version of Pippi Longstocking). It's all deft comic timing.
Music and Design Support the Madness
Live musicians, under musical director Eric Alsford, ably accompany the performers without overpowering them. The cast members mostly possess impressive voices, and at least one hits high notes with clarity and control.
The songs are in the style of Broadway and show tunes, but you won’t leave the theater humming any of the unmemorable melodies. The music has fun with the high drama, often melodramatic aspects of the musical theater and film genres the show references. Some lyrics are clever, including from the title song: “tough as a cop. Eager to claw your way. Straight to the top” and “whether you’re young. Or gray-haired and toothless. The key to success is Ruthlessness.”
Behind the scenes, scenic and lighting designer Ardean Landhuis deftly contrasts his bright and sunny depiction of the Denmark home (including at least one period prop) with Ginger’s darker, upscale Manhattan home in Act Two, which includes an impressive skyline of New York City. Landhuis makes good use of colors, such as pink to match some of the furniture in the Denmark home. Bright lighting also matches the upbeat mood of the early scenes.
A Must-See Treat
Tickets may be going fast for this first-rate ICS production. While we’re not encouraging anyone to break the law, it may pay to be ruthless in your quest to grab one.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Island City Stage’s production of Ruthless! The Musical
WHEN: Through Dec. 7. Showtimes are 7 p.m. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, as well as 2 p.m. Saturdays and 5 p.m. Sundays. A Women’s Night at the Theatre will take place on Dec.5.
WHERE: Island City Stage’s intimate black box theater is at 2304 N. Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors.
TICKETS: Tickets start at $50. Call (954) 928-9800 or visit www.islandcitystage.org.