Show synopsis
The “Tappy McCrackin Variety Hour” is the biggest hit show network television has ever seen. A pint-sized girl named Tappy McCrackin is the singing, dancing star of it all – but she’s collected a dangerous enemy in her rise to the top. As the show prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary with a huge spectacle performance to be broadcast live in every living room in America, danger lurks in the wings. Villains, friends, and lovers find themselves in a chaotic scene when disaster strikes the studio – right before the big show. As the cameras roll, who will help her save the day?
With vibrant production numbers and unforgettable melodies, this captivating tale reminds us to cherish our past while embracing the future. Get ready to dance, laugh, and sing along to the rhythms of this exciting new story!
Creative Team
History
History of ‘Tappy’: 20 Years in the Making
More than 20 years ago, in a theatre far far away, the name “Tappy McCrackin” was born. It happened when composer Harry Turpin was in rehearsals for “Dames at Sea.” After practicing a big tap number, Harry made an offhand joke to a friend and fellow dancer: “Whatever, Tappy McCrackin!” What was meant as a throwaway comment to rib a friend during a difficult dance number became a name, and a concept, that stuck in his mind.
The idea grew, and so did the script, originally called “Tappy McCrackin Saves the World.” Act 1 of that original iteration was good enough to garner a staged reading back in 2003. Years went by, more songs and story points added, and another reading happened in NYC in 2009. Early champions (Mark Chenovick, John Kelleher) kept it alive, even during the long gaps when progress wasn’t being made. They prodded Harry and his lifelong friend and collaborator Stacie Hart to revisit the concept, believing it had big potential.
They continued workshopping the concept; Harry on music and lyrics, and Stacie using her history of writing murder mystery plays to pull the story together. Producer Brad Cerenzia became attached to the project in 2020, just before the pandemic, and they even held a Zoom reading to make sure the idea they’d worked so hard to hone was strong enough to move to the stage. Since then, it’s only gotten better, sleeker, faster, and funnier. Since that first reading, only 2 songs have survived, but the core of the story remains.
Now, the show is being produced for real, with the premiere happening at SecondStory Repertory in Redmond, Washington. “This show is truly a labor of love, and we are so thrilled to see it finally taking shape and becoming the wonderful thing we’ve always known it could be,” says Turpin. “We’ve worked on this show through life, marriage, kids, a pandemic, and more – and it’s held together. It is stronger than ever and I can’t wait to see it come to life,” says Hart. “We need funny shows!” says producer Brad Cerenzia. “We’ve had enough dark and depressing. It’s time to laugh.” And that’s exactly why now is the perfect time for “Tappy.”
Set inside a Carol Burnett-style variety show, ‘Come On, Get Tappy!’ is full of wise-cracking chorus girls, scheming villains, and an uber talented tap-dancing child star. Their lives revolve around putting on the biggest show in America, and making sure Tappy stays in the spotlight is more complicated than it seems. This funny, fast-paced show will surprise and delight audiences of all ages, and the creative team is thrilled to bring it to life.