'Dixie's Tupperware Party' in Tampa is a hoot

  If you haven't seen "Dixie's Tupperware Party" you're in for a most wondrous surprise.
  It sounds like one of the lamest shows ever. Kris Andersson, who's a man, plays Dixie, who's a woman, and the show is an actual Tupperware party. There are order forms on your table and Dixie tells you what numbers to circle if you want to buy the various containers she's touting.
   It's hard to describe the show, because Andersson relies largely on improv and audience interaction. Dixie's ad libs are so clever that it's usually impossible to tell which parts of the shows are scripted and which are off-the-cuff.  It's also hard to describe how funny the show is, partly because Dixie's so joyously foul-mouthed that it's inadvisable to repeat most of her jokes. Even the handful of audience members Dixie picked at random to make fun of through the whole evening seemed to feel privileged.
  But somehow, Dixie's irresistibly likeable.

Andersson as Dixie

  The show takes serious turn at the end, when the lights lower and Dixie breaks from the silliness to talk about the woman who invented the Tupperware party more than 60 years ago and ended up being the first woman who was ever on the cover of 'Business Week." It seems to be a heartfelt tribute. It really has no place in such a raucous and ribald show, but Andersson makes it effective, even inspirational and almost poignant.
   Even if nothing about the show sounds like it would be your spill-proof plastic cup of tea, it's worth checking out just for Andersson's astounding performance. It's as impressive, in its way, as almost any performance you'll see on any stage, in any show.
   It runs through Sunday at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts, 1010 N. MacInnes Place, Tampa. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $37.50 plus service charge. Call 813-229-7827 or go to strazcenter.org.