80s ladies run 'Mystic Pizza' in MLT musical

Aug. 2—Girls just wanna sell pizza and find love in Muskogee Little Theatre's upcoming musical, "Mystic Pizza."

The production, which features pop 1980s hits, runs this weekend and next.

It is based on the 1988 movie that helped launch Julia Roberts' movie career. It focuses on three working class girls who try to operate a pizza joint.

The musical adaptation features 1980s hits like "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," "Take My Breath Away," "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" and "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now."

"Everyone is going to be wanting to be jumping up out of their seats and clapping along," said Carly Johnson, who plays Kat, one of the shop owners. "It's such a fun jukebox musical, one of the best productions I've been a part of."

Johnson said she gets to sing several songs including "Hold On" and "When I see You Smile."

Avery McDaniel, who plays Daisy, said she had family help with the oldies.

"My mom and dad were kids in the 80s," she said. "So all these songs I've been singing, they have been real supportive of me, helping me learn them, and having me listen to them in the car."

Laney Edwards, who plays Jojo, said the songs have been awesome.

"My mom kind of raised me on 80s music, so it's been kind of fun to be able to go home and sing those songs with her and get her excited about it," she said. "It's been fun to put my own take on songs I've listened to my whole life."

Director Chrissy Wagner said the play features an "incredibly talented cast, costuming you might still find in the clothes closet and a string of 1980s tunes that will have you reminiscing about big hair, neon colors and shoulder pads."

McDaniel said the play has been a fun, creative process.

"I think Daisy has a really deep character, and she's a real person I think everyone can relate to," she said. "I'm really excited to be able to show her to everybody and let everyone get to know Daisy."

The most fun has been getting to know other cast members, she said. "They're all just terrific actors and terrific singers, one of my favorite casts I've worked with."

Johnson called Kat "kind of a hopeless romantic."

"And maybe she gets distracted by a handsome face along the way," she said.

Theater-goers can have pizza themselves. Muskogee and Eufaula pizzeria Mama Tig's, the community sponsor, will sell large pizza slices and charcuterie cups in the lobby, MLT Executive Director Laura Hazen said.

Corporate sponsor is Green Country Behavioral Health.