The Ames Community Theater of Recreational Services Inc. will open its newest show, “Ruthless! The Musical,” a campy parody of famous musicals, June 15.

The show will have nine performances at the Ames Community Theater, 120 Abraham Drive.

“Ruthless!” finds humor in classic musicals like “The Bad Seed,” “Gypsy,” “Valley of the Dolls,” and “All About Eve” by taking their characters and situations and exaggerating them in a comical way.

Tamara White, junior in apparel merchandising, design and production, is among the many actors participating in the play who are ISU students or alumni.

“It’s a very campy, witty musical showing the darker side of theatrical personalities,” White said.

Those who are familiar with musicals will get more of the jokes in the play, White said, but the show will be funny for everyone.

“It is just enjoyable and funny even if you don’t know anything about theater,” White said.

Mariana Seda, senior in English, is playing the part of Tina Denmark, who is based on the main character of “Gypsy.”

“She is supposed to be a triple threat: singing, dancing, acting, with a ruthless attitude,” Seda said.

Shakespearean acting and acting technique are some of the acting classes Seda has taken at Iowa State. She has also acted in Iowa State plays, including “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “My Fair Lady,” and “James and the Giant Peach.”

Seda said she finds acting in community theater to have many differences than acting in an academic setting.

“There’s not as much pressure, it’s less stressful. It’s more free and less emphasis on perfection.” Seda said.

Stacy Brothers, director of “Ruthless!,” said the acting experience at ACTORS is “a little looser.”

“Its not academic, we’re all here for fun,” Brothers said, “We’re not getting paid, we’re here to have a good time.”

The actors coming in with ISU acting experience will learn a lot from others who have been involved with community theater for a long time, Brothers said.

“For these guys, a lot of their acting experience has been in the world of academics,” Brothers said. “This is being in the community on stage with people that are veteran community theater actors who have been doing this kind of thing for years. It’s a whole different background of experience.”

ACTORS has been in Ames for 52 years and is open for anyone within the community to join in acting or tech work.

“Ruthless!” is the last show planned for ACTORS’ regular season. Next season, ACTORS has many more shows planned including “High School Musical,” “Doubt” and “Leader of the Pack.”

ACTORS presents “Ruthless!: The Musical”

June 15, 16, 22, 23, 29 and 30

at 7:30 p.m.

June 17, 24 and July 1

at 2 p.m.