Hot Stuff! Mary Birdsong Will Join the Cast of Off-Broadway's Disaster!

She is woman, hear her roar! Mary Birdsong (Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, Reno 911) will join the cast of Disaster! on December 9. Birdsong will take over the role of lounge singer Jackie, currently played by Michele Ragusa, in the 1970s musical spoof. Ragusa's last performance in the show at off-Broadway at the St. Luke’s Theatre will be on December 6.

This is not the first casting shake-up for DISASTER! this year, last month it was announced that director Jack Plotnick would join the cast for a limited time, replacing John Treacy Egan as Tony though January.

Written by Jack Plotnick and Seth Rudetsky and directed by Plotnick (who will join the cast for a limited engagement) and starring Tony nominee Mary Testa, Rudetsky, Disaster! is set on a summer night in Manhattan in 1979 and follows a group of A-listers who party at the grand opening of a floating casino/disco—until disaster strikes. Earthquakes, tidal waves, infernos, killer bees, rats, sharks and piranhas all threaten the guests, who sing some of the biggest hits of the ‘70s, including “Hot Stuff,” “I Am Woman,” “Knock on Wood” and more.

The cast of Disaster! also includes Tom Riis Farrell,Jennifer Simard, Sherz Aletaha, Ashanti J’Aria, Haven Burton, Charity Dawson, Saum Eskandani, Matt Farcher, Drew Geraci, Maggie McDowell, Rob Sapp and Jonah Verdon.