Raleigh Little Theatre review
Triangle Arts & Entertainment
By Robert W. McDowell
February 15th, 2012
“The Miss Firecracker Contest” Fizzles at RLT
The Southern Gothic characters of the The Miss Firecracker Contest, now playing at Raleigh Little Theatre, do not lead lives of quiet desperation. Starting with Brookhaven, MS town slut-turned local beauty pageant contestant Carnelle Scott (zestfully portrayed by Kirsten Ehlert), Crimes of the Heart playwright Beth Henley’s frisky fictional creations are one big hot mess after another.
Ehlert gives a caffeinated characterization of a loser desperate to win — just one time — in any competition, no material how trivial or personally demeaning. Carnelle tries too hard to be accepted. Her bizarre pageant talent routine — in which she tap dances to ”The Star-Spangled Banner,” while shooting off Roman candles and waving sparklers — endeared her to the small but enthusiastic audience at RLT last Friday night.
Read the rest of the review at Triangle Arts & Entertainment.
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