THEATER BEAT : Joke of ‘Housewives’ Becoming Punk Band

“Angry Housewives,” now at Long Beach Playhouse Studio Theatre, is basically a one-joke musical. But the joke is a pretty good one.

Four ordinary suburban women--Bev (Anja Leigh), Wendy (Sandy Mulvihill), Jetta (Jennifer R. Wiles) and Carol (Laura Gregory)--decide to raise some extra cash by entering a punk-rock band contest. So they don weird makeup and leather and perform a foul-mouthed thrash anthem about breakfast cereal.

The transformation of self-effacing housewives into snarling Sid Vicious devotees is a real kick. But for some viewers it may not be worth the wait. A.M. Collins’ book (laced with all sorts of good-natured profanity) takes at best a leisurely approach to character and story development; the songs by Chad Henry are pleasant if somewhat generic. The Long Beach production, directed and choreographed by Allison Bergman, does little to speed things.

As a group, the four leads harmonize adequately and bring the requisite zest to their roles. More inspired are Phil Oakley and Rick Felkins, both fun to watch in respective parts as Jetta’s jerk husband, Larry, and a lascivious bar owner named Lewd Fingers. Perhaps the best indication of the show’s sensibilities can be gleaned from the fact that it ends with Oakley and two others in drag.

* “Angry Housewives,” Long Beach Playhouse Studio Theatre, 5021 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach. Fridays-Saturdays, 8 p.m., Sundays (Jan. 14 and 21), 2 p.m. Ends Jan. 27. $15. (310) 494-1616. Running time: 2 hours, 20 minutes.