Only 32 miles long and half a mile at its widest point, Fire Island packs an incredible amount of legacy in its relatively small space. Located 65 miles from New York City, the adjoining communities of Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines have been a haven for the LGBTQ community for decades, even before the Stonewall Riots of 1969 and the subsequent gay liberation movement.  The natural beauty of the island, combined with the colorful, fun-loving population who spend their summers there, have made the location a popular setting for many plays, movies, and at least one TV series.  Fire Island was even immortalized in a Village People song in 1977– and hey, that’s pretty cool!

The new, original show Little House on the Ferry: The Musical, presented by The New Destination for Immersive Queer Entertainment and directed by Victoria Rae Sook, is the latest theatrical exploration of Fire Island’s inimitable charms. The name of the company says so much already: This unique theater experience is very immersive, very queer, and VERY entertaining! The upstairs performance space of New York City’s iconic venue The Duplex, in fact, has been converted into “Ferry’s Landing NYC” just for this show– and the intimate setting serves the production very well. The cast utilize literally every inch of the space.  Set in June 2011, days before the legalization of same-sex marriage in New York State, Little House on the Ferry is a joyous spectacle of singing, dancing, and comedy, with set designs and costumes as loudly colorful as its characters.  The mood is set right from the opening number, unambiguously named We’re on Fire Island. (The song, by the way, is a real bop…)  But beyond all the gossip, the endless tea dances, the shorty shorts, and the collective male libidos made even more intense by the hot summer sun, there’s a vital message about the importance of community and the need to be true to oneself.  

The humor in Little House on the Ferry comes largely from the witty dialogue and song lyrics, loaded with deliciously dirty double entendres and trans-generational “gay-speak”. The show was written by Robert Gould, with Gould and Rob Arbello credited as Co-composers and Co-lyricists.  The play is not afraid to dabble in some lighthearted… shall we say, “gay tropes”.  Whether they want to or not, anyone who has summered at Fire Island will ABSOLUTELY relate to these characters, even as the musical explores the more over-the-top aspects of the gay male world. An example is the eternal importance on remaining youthful.  Just as the word “vanity” comes to mind, one of the characters surely enough breaks into a song named… Vanity!  The show is often zany, and occasionally ventures into some absurdity. (One character is literally played by a muscular male blow-up doll, and the hardworking “Greek Chorus” [More about them later…] will occasionally costume up as seagulls or deer to scare the hell out of the audience.)  But of course, there’s a lot of heart underneath the over-the-top scenarios and blindingly bright color schemes (Costume Designer Tyler Holland has an affinity for neons.).  The humanity comes from the characters: Donnie (Christopher Harrod), a longtime Pines resident, is the matriarch of the titular Little House on the Ferry, the play’s setting.  Randall (Charles Osbourne), who wears his heart on his sleeve, is a politically conscious writer with severe wedding bell blues; he is really hoping that marriage becomes legalized, even singing out his feelings with the provocative Don’t Say It Won’t Pass.  His handsome but excessively vain lawyer boyfriend Timothy (Andrew Leggieri), however, is not quite as eager to take the proverbial plunge. “Antonio from San Antonio” (Gilberto Saenz), who has only been in New York City for six months, is the wide-eyed “twink” of the group.  The balance of this makeshift family, as well as Randall’s relationship with Timothy, is thrown into imbalance with the arrival of Jake (Troy Valjean Rucker), a celebrity blogger with a dark secret. (He used to be… [GASP!] a Republican.)  Between Timothy’s cold feet and Jake’s seductively intellectual charms, Randall has to make some important decisions.  On top of that, Donnie shares that the entire fate of Little House on the Ferry is in jeopardy…

The entire cast of Little House on the Ferry is excellent, with many of the performers doing triple duty in acting, comedy, and dance.  All five of the male actors– Harrod, Osbourne, Leggieri, Saenz, and Rucker– get their moment in the spotlight. A special shoutout goes to the thoroughly charming Xana Dume (AKA Felipe Galganni), resident drag star of both The Duplex and the play’s fictional dance club.  The audience absolutely loved when she unexpectedly broke into a tap dance.  (The choreography is by Michael McCrary.)  Speaking of dancing, another huge shoutout goes out to the play’s aforementioned Greek Chorus: Kailin Brown, Manuela Agudelo, and Kelsey Rogers.  This hardworking trio sing and dance their you-know-what’s off.  It may sound cliched, but the entire cast REALLY looks like they’re having a great time.  With one surprise spectacle after another, the creators of this show clearly believe that too much of a good thing is… NEVER enough!

Little House on the Ferry: The Musical takes place in 2011, a year when Facebook was at its peak popularity and “Tweets” were all the rage.  It seems like just yesterday, yet SO far away at the same time.  One thing’s for sure, however: Regardless of what year it takes place, Little House on the Ferry takes us back to a time capsule when “gay” still meant “happy”! 

Little House on the Ferry: The Musical, which features book by Rob Gould, and music and lyrics by Rob Gould and Rob Arbelo,is directed by Victoria Rae Sook and choreographed by Michael McCrary. Quenton Ellis serves as music director and Corey Kline is the music producer. For tickets and further information, visit FerrysLandingNYC.com. Design is by Shawn Lewis, with costumes by Tyler Mark Holland, lighting by Zach Pizza, sound by Ryk Lewis, and props by Mikaela Baca-Dorion. Indigo Leigh is associate costume designer. Courtney Darlington is associate choreographer. Emma Ramsay-Saxon and Megan Ciszek serve as production stage managers, with Michele Corregio and Sydney Scott as assistant stage managers.

In addition to Little House on the Ferry, FERRY’S LANDING NYC will feature “Farandole Dance Party,” a vibrant celebration with electrifying music and dance. For tickets and further information, visit FerrysLandingNYC.com.  Farandole is a special dance party that starts when the other shows finish. Dim the lights and let the DJ spin for these themed, late-night events. Enjoy the decadent beats and delicious go-go dancers, and bring your wildest looks and hottest moves to the floor.

FERRY’S LANDING NYC is produced by Rob Gould with Ripple Effect Artists. Anthony Francavilla of FORM Theatrical serves as general manager. The producing team also includes Benjamin Feldman (Pippin, Company).

FERRY’S LANDING NYC is located at 61 Christopher Street, NYC 10014. Little House on the Ferry: The Musical runs Tuesdays through Sundays at 7:30 PM (doors open at 6:00 PM). The show runs approximately 100 minutes. The Farandole dance party takes place Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with doors opening at 11:00 PM. Both attractions run through January 5, 2025. Pricing and ticket packages, currently on sale, are available at FerrysLandingNYC.com. Photos by Austin Ruffen.