Psycho Beach Party is a 2000 comedy horror film based on the off-Broadway play of the same name, directed by Robert Lee King. Charles Busch wrote both the original play and the screenplay. As the title suggests, Psycho Beach Party, set in 1962 Malibu Beach, is a parody of 1950s psychodramas, 1960s beach movies, and 1980s slasher films. Plot Florence Forrest (Lauren Ambrose) is a Gidget-like character determined to learn to surf, and earns the nickname "Chicklet" from the surfer guys. Chicklet, though, begins displaying multiple personalities, experiences inexplicable blackouts, and fears that she might be the one responsible for a series of mysterious murders in her beachside town. The deaths are investigated by Captain Monica Stark (Charles Busch), who also suspects Chicklet's mother (Beth Broderick), Chicklet's best friend Berdine (Danni Wheeler), surfing guru the Great Kanaka (Thomas Gibson), and B-movie actress Bettina Barnes (Kimberley Davies). Other characters include university dropout (and Chicklet's love interest) Starcat (Nicholas Brendon), Swedish exchange student Lars (Matt Keeslar), surfers Yo-Yo (Nick Cornish) and Provoloney (Andrew Levitas), Starcat's girlfriend Marvel Ann (Amy Adams), and the class "queen bee" Rhonda (Kathleen Robertson). Cast Lauren Ambrose as Florence "Chicklet" Forrest Thomas Gibson as Kanaka Nicholas Brendon as Starcat Kimberley Davies as Bettina Barnes Matt Keeslar as Lars Charles Busch as Captain Monica Stark Beth Broderick as Ruth Forrest Amy Adams as Marvel Ann Kathleen Robertson as Rhonda Nick Cornish as Yo-Yo Andrew Levitas as Provoloney Channon Roe as Wedge Riley Jenica Bergere as Cookie Danni Wheeler as Berdine Nathan Bexton as T.J. Buddy Quaid as Junior Nicholas D'Agosto as The Counterman Play and productions The play was originally entitled Gidget Goes Psychotic, but the title was changed due to concerns about copyright. In the original 1987 production, Charles Busch played the role of Chicklet. Deciding that he might not be believable in the role of a 16-year-old girl ("while I can still manage, with the aid of a sympathetic cameraman, to play a sophisticated 25, 16 would be a stretch"), he added the character of Monica Stark to the movie. After over 20 years, the play had its premiere UK production by Vertigo Theatre Productions in Manchester in March 2011. The production returned in August 2012 at Sacha's Hotel Ballroom. A production was held in Australia at the Bondi Pavilion Theatre from November to December 2012; productions also ran in Melbourne (notably at the Midsumma Festival) in