BEVERLY — Beverly actress Tina Gluschenko is learning to speak in a certain pattern — namely a short setup followed by a predictable punch line.
This type of dialog is the hallmark of Alice Nelson, the quippy housekeeper played by Ann B. Davis for five seasons in the '70s sitcom, "The Brady Bunch."
Gluschenko plays a slightly off-beat version of the classic character in "The Bardy Bunch: The War of the Families Partridge and Brady," which opens Sept. 15 at the Mercury Theater in Lakeview. Tickets cost $25-$40 for the live show at 3745 N. Southport Ave.
"It's been a blast," Gluschenko said Monday. "My sisters and I are of the generation that remember the first run of these shows."
Being the youngest of three sisters, Gluschenko always envisioned herself as more of a Cindy Brady-type, but she's excited to play Alice in the play that imagines what if the Brady family met the Partidge family.
"I'm playing with the fact that she [Alice] thinks she's hilarious," Gluschenko said. "What she says, it's not that funny. But she delivers it like she's the best standup comedienne around."
The fictional gathering is set in 1974, after both television families have seen their network shows canceled. It also weaves in 12 Shakespearean plot lines and 15 hit songs from the TV programs including, "It's a Sunshine Day," "I Think I Love You," and more.
As for the Bard, Gluschenko said the play is not performed using traditional Shakespearean language. But there is a "Romeo and Juliet" romance between Keith Partridge and Marsha Brady as well as "epic tragedy" throughout.
Gluschenko auditioned for the role in June. The part seemed almost custom-made for her skills, as she previously played Miss Jane Hathaway in "The Beverly Hillbillies, The Musical" at the Theatre at the Centre in Indiana. She also starred in "Hamlet! The Musical" at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
"The Bardy Bunch" premiered at the 2011 New York International Fringe Festival, where it won an Overall Excellence Award for Outstanding Ensemble. The show went on to play a sold-out run Off Broadway.
Gluschenko said her character has plenty of "aw shucks" moments, which can be a bit awkward without the TV laugh track. That said, she believes the show is family-friendly, "even though there is a lot of blood on stage."
A native of Muncie, Ind., Gluschenko has lived in Beverly for the past 15 years. She graduated from DePaul University's Theater Program and stayed in Chicago taking mostly smaller roles.
She spent about seven years away from theater, working as a meeting planner and event manager for a consulting company before the acting bug bit her again in 2012. And while she misses the steady paychecks, she's happy she returned to the stage and is now seasoned and confident enough to weather good times and lean times.
"When you are a young woman in theater, the competition is huge," said Gluschenko, adding that the roles she's now seeking are different than those she originally sought when entering the profession.
"The Bardy Bunch" is scheduled to run through Nov. 20, and Gluschenko is hoping it will be extended due to strong demand. In addition to her role as Alice, she's also an understudy for Carol Brady and Shirley Partridge.
"We have a lot of fun," she said.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
