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Latin Horror actually saw an ad for the musical ‘Teeth’. What stuck out was the tagline of “A Coming-of-Rage Musical Comedy”. This struck curiosity to find out if it was connected to the indy horror comedy film from 2008. It turned out it was.
The original film Teeth came out in 2007 at Sundance Film Festival. It was written and directed by Mitchell Lichtenstein and stared Jess Weixler. The film was critically acclaimed and it went on to win Weixler the “Grand Jury Prize of Dramatic Performance” at Sundance. As I recall ‘Teeth’ had tons of positive word of mouth form audience members but what stuck out was the whole concept of the vagina dentata. Yes this was a feminist horror flick.
The story is about Dawn O’Keefe, a teenage spokesperson for a Christian abstinence group. Who is struggling with her promise of abstaining from sexual activity. Eventually, leading her to find out that she has a monster between her legs. A monster that leaves tons of blood behind.
‘Teeth’ the musical play is adapted by Michael R. Jackson and Anna K. Jacobs. The Off-Broadway musical came out in March of 2024 at Playwrights Horizons. It did so well an Off-Broadway commercial version came out October 2024 at the New World Stages. This is at the point where I bought tickets and went in blind with my curiosity.
Coming into the New World Theater, the stage was covered with a blood splatter curtain with the giant size word, “TEETH”. It looked cool. I sat dead center in that theater and noticed a few people in the front rows putting on a rain coat. It instantly reminded me of the ‘Evil Dead The Musical‘, which I found out played at this theater in 2006. In which, audience members sitting in the front row got soaked in fake blood. I admit it, I was a bit mad at myself for not being in the front row so I could get splattered by blood.
Without giving away spoilers, I’ll just give you my initial reaction because ‘Teeth’ the musical is 100% worth experiencing in person. The show doesn’t give you a moment to breath. It starts instantly and drives through the story without any breaks. The music is fantastic. But from the beginning to the end you will not stop laughing as the humor is a mix bags of campy and South Park-ish.
I’ll tell you one thing, I have never heard so many “Oh My God” from a musical audience. Yes! The musical did the whole vagina dentata and the cast and director pulled it off perfectly. The audience went crazy!!! But there was more from this exciting musical and it is what made it into an experience for the audience. So by the end of ‘Teeth’, the audience and I are brought through a vortex into hell. Yeah the front row got bloody but the whole damn theater was burning in HELL!!! Your jaw will drop.
The entire cast was great. Alyse Alan Louis as Dawn O’Keefe, blows you away with her powerful vocals and inspiring performance. But Andy Karl steals the show with both his performance of Pastor Bill O’Keefe and especially Dr. Godfrey. Both Jared Loftin (Ryan) and Jason Gotay (Tobey) did an amazing turn with their charters that were both shocking.
I also enjoyed how the stage comes alive. It’s simple but with creative lighting, a church becomes a forest with a lake, several bedrooms, a realm of virtual reality and HELL!!! At one point Dawn O’Keefe, at her lowest point she slides down the church walls to her knees. The light shines on her as if God was looking down on her. While her shadow grew big on the floor marking how the devil is seeing her.
Over all, I walked out of ‘Teeth’ the musical with enthusiasm and excitement to keep talking about it and spreading the word of how great of a theater experience this musical is. So if you have a chance you better go see it before it leaves the theater.
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