Sure, it's a clich , but the closest New York City residents are going to get to the Wal-Mart experience is... a musical! Yes, with singing and dancing! After a year of retooling to transfer it from its semi-professional beginnings in Wisconsin to its latest incarnation Off-Broadway, "Walmartopia" opened this week to mostly poor reviews.

The husband and wife team behind the "musical on a mission" have cited the books "Nickel and Dimed" and "Selling Women Short" as sources, but it might just be better to read the books, based on reactions to the show, which include descriptions like "ham-handed satire" and "bland and witless."

As far as effective agitprop goes, it looks like South Park still holds the award for most entertaining spin on the pleasures and dangers of the super-mega-corporation. Or, as one review puts it, "Bad art never helped anyone's cause."

Resources:
"Selling Women Short" at Amazon
"Nickel and Dimed" at Amazon
walmartopia.com

"Attention, Shoppers: Anguish in Aisle 4" [New York Times]
"Creators Of 'Walmartopia' Discuss Show's Success" [ny1.com (video)]
"Walmartopia" [Theatermania.com]

(Photo: Carol Rosegg)