Dr. Phil meets "Big Brother" when Hopewell-Loudon High School students present "American Idle" for two shows at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the school in Bascom.
The comedy pokes fun at television reality shows as talk show host Sheila Noes (Macy Dell) interviews Dr. Bruno Slacker (Brandon Wise), a psychologist, who believes typical American citizens are too stressed with work and activities. He surmises people would live longer if they could learn to put aside their goals and relax.
The audience learns from Bruno's mother, Kitty Slacker (Mackenzie Watkins), he has spent his whole life trying different schemes to secure that lifestyle for himself, with little success.
Article Photos
PHOTO BY DOUGLAS CAMERON
Hopewell-Loudon students are to present “American Idle” this weekend, a take-off on television reality shows. Pictured are (from left) Brandon Wise, Kaylee Loy, Miriah White, Stephanie Endicott, Aaron Lucius, Andrew Lommerse and Travis Ardner.
Bruno has recruited eight busy young adults for a new experiment. They are to live in "Idle House" and spend most of their time doing nothing for a week. The one who slacks the most is to win a $1 million prize.
The contestants are to have no contact with anyone outside of "Idle House." Nurse Nancy (Alicia Frank), a former female wrestler, has confiscated all personal electronic devices and fitted everyone with monitors to record vital signs. If their heart rate and blood pressure get too high, they can be eliminated from the contest.
The contestants are played by Jess Dull, Erica Blaser, Stephanie Endicott, Andrew Lommerse, Aaron Lucius, Eric Depinet, Adam Grine and Zoe Keckler.
Dr. Schlepp (Miriah White) and Dr. Schlupp (Kaylee Loy) are to keep records of the contestants' activities, or lack of them.
Two of the contestants who own businesses immediately start an argument about space in the mall both want for their companies. Romances develop between others. Then intruders arrive in the form of business associates (Cassie Reinhart and Logan Kirby) who need to talk to their bosses and a jealous boyfriend (Travis Ardner).
More complications arise when Kitty interviews with a tabloid about her son's ventures that have failed in the past.
She shows up at Idle House with a nosy photographer (Amanda Kirkpatrick). Bruno makes up a story about Kitty's past that throws her credibility in question.
Emily Arbogast completes the cast as a worker.
Plenty of physical comedy ensues as the week progresses and contestants are narrowed down. An unlikely winner takes the top prize.
Kelsey Smathers is directing the show.
Tickets for "American Idle" are to be available at the door for $3 for elementary students and $5 for everyone else.
