Pretty Filthy is a 2015 musical with a book by Bess Wohl and music and lyrics by Michael Friedman developed with director Steve Cosson. The musical is produced by American "investigative" theater company The Civilians. The show is based on The Civilians' visit to the San Fernando Valley, also known as "the Hollywood of the adult film industry." The musical focuses on the private and professional lives of either real-life adult film stars or composite characters based on various people, with each actor playing multiple roles.
Plot
Described as a "porn docu-musical," the show follows several vignettes of adult film stars, focusing extensively on Becky, a young woman just beginning in the industry. She moves to Los Angeles, where she gets a manager and changes her name to Taylor St. Ives. Throughout her experience, she brings along her boyfriend Bobby, who himself becomes an adult film star, and meets veteran star Georgina Congress, exploring the challenges of the industry in forming relationships, gender parity and the evolution since its inception.
The show received positive reviews, with Variety praising Cosson's "even-handed direction" and the characters as "enjoyable" and "endearing." The Hollywood Reporter called the show "pretty filthy. But it’s also pretty damn fun" with some criticism for the show's benevolence toward heavier issues the characters would face.
