Scooby-Doo has been fighting ghosts and goblins — or, as he says, "Righting Rhosts and Roblins" — in a cartoon series that has spanned two generations.
The lovable Great Dane, who was notorious for starting most words with the letter R, was the star of "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!," a Hanna-Barbera animated creation that entertained TV audiences on CBS from 1969 to 1972 as part of its Saturday morning lineup, and has been viewed in various forms ever since. Its latest home is on the Cartoon Network, where it airs 45 times per week and consistently tops the ratings. Scooby even stars in a live-action motion picture, opening June 14.
It seems only fitting that a dog with such credentials and longevity deserves his own stage show. Scooby and his friends get their chance in the spotlight in a live production, "Scooby-Doo in Stagefright," which plays in Pittsburgh as part of a 29-city North American tour.
Joining the playful pup onstage are the other members of his mystery-solving gang: Shaggy (played by Bjorn Thorstad), Velma (Joyce Costello), Daphne (Emily Fletcher) and Fred (Greg Cunneen). The show follows the storyline of the original cartoon series, where Scooby-Doo is the mascot to a group of high school students who thrive on mystery and suspense. They form a club called Mystery Inc. and seek out adventures in all sorts of situations — from deserted mansions to ghost towns and burial grounds.
In their new spooky stage show, they set out to solve the mysterious happenings at the old Clawhammer Film Studios. As in the TV series, they manage to generate as many laughs as goosebumps with their wild antics.
Thorstad takes on the role of Norville "Shaggy" Rogers, Scooby's 'fraidy-cat beatnik buddy. His previous credits range from Shakespeare productions to an ensemble part in "The Viagra Monologues" at the Cast Theatre, Los Angeles. His performance as the lead in the film "Junior Creative" helped it win best-picture honors at the 2000 Redstone Film Festival in Boston.
When he won his current part, Thorstad, of Denver, says his first preparation was to study the cartoons to capture the voice of the character vocalized by radio DJ Casey Kasem from 1969 to 1991.
"Shaggy has an immediately identifiable sound. I knew if I didn't deliver the voice, the audience would be disappointed," he says. "It took a month or two to find the mechanics of placing my voice. It was a strain vocally."
As he travels around the country, Thorstad says he is amazed by the popularity of the Scooby-Doo characters and the ages that the show attracts.
"There's been a resurgence of interest in the last 10 years," he says of the classic cartoon series. "It's remarkable. Kids know the cartoon, and it also has a cult following among college kids. I remember bumping into five of them when I was walking to the theater for a performance in Cincinnati. I could tell they were on their way to see 'Scooby-Doo.' They were acting giddy and excited — like little kids."
Thorstad says he finds "Stagefright" to be an unusual stage experience. "It's a very high-comedy form of theater," he says. "It draws from clowning and a very broad style of acting."
The family audiences and the large venues where the cast performs present their own challenges as well.
"Some kids behave like they're at a rock concert," he says. "They'll start screaming 'Scooby!' at random moments in the show, and sometimes they go running down the aisles. It can get to the point of mayhem."
Although the plot surrounds itself with scary creatures and mysterious situations, Thorstad says it never goes too far to intimidate or frighten the youngsters who are watching the action from their seats.
"What makes it funny is that Scooby and Shaggy are way more afraid of the monsters than the kids could be," he says. "They sense a bravery in themselves. It's an interesting combination for them to be spooked and laughing at the same time."
Mark McKinney, former cast member of Saturday Night Live (1995-97) and member of the "Kids in the Hall" comedy series, worked as a script consultant on "Stagefright." The Canadian comic says his challenge was to come up with a solid story line that would work well onstage.
"The premise was not to do anything fancy," he says, "but to write a classy Scooby-Doo episode. The characters come off really well. They look and sound like the real cartoon characters."
McKinney says the production serves as a good introduction to the idea of "scary" for children. "There are ghouls and adventures, but it never gets out of control," he says.
"Stagefright" contains original theme music from the cartoon series, special effects and even the Mystery Machine, the groovy van that transports the amateur teen sleuths from one adventure to the next.
| 'Scooby-Doo in Stagefright - Live on Stage' |
