Local Theater Stages 'Psycho Beach Party'

Before the campy comedy horror Psycho Beach Party was a movie, it was an off-Broadway production.

Now in the perfect kickoff to summer, the silly parody of 1970s slasher flicks and early 1960′s surf and beach blanket movies is set to run Saturday through May 20 at Santa Monica's .

In the play, it's the 1960s and young teen Chicklet—often likened to Gidget—is struggling to become the first female surfer on Malibu Beach. But the surfer boy's club isn't the only obstacle that stands in her way. There's also her dual personality, the sexually aggressive, foul-speaking Ann Bowman, who becomes one of several murder suspects when bodies begin piling up at the shore.

The play was written by Charles Busch, who according to the Morgan-Wixson, wrote and starred in the film versions of his plays, Psycho Beach Party and Die Mommie Die, the latter of which won him the Best Performance Award at the Sundance Film Festival.

Regular Friday and Saturday performances are at 8 p.m. The Sunday matinees are at 2 p.m.

Audience talk-backs will immediately follow the May 6 and 11 performances. A special midnight engagement is set for 11:59 p.m. May 12.

For more information, visit morgan-wixson.org.