Jill Maybruch MARLBORO — Jill Maybruch is traveling back in time to make her off-Broadway debut.
Maybruch, 27, who is a native of Marlboro, landed the role of singer Britney Spears in the musical theater show “Totally Tubular Time Machine,” which opened on Feb. 9 at the Culture Club in New York City.
The production throws a cast of eccentric pop music icons, from Vanilla Ice to Justin Bieber, into the middle of Madonna’s wild after-party that followed the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards. The result, Maybruch said, is an explosion of recognizable tunes, dancing and laughter, complete with participation from members of the audience.
“There’s also this party atmosphere where the crowd is mingling and hanging out with their favorite celebrities, and getting a front seat for their tabloid escapades and conflicts with each other,” she said.
A good chunk of the material on which the characters are built holds true to reality, Maybruch noted. But the show often veers in imaginary directions, depending on interactions with the audience and whether attendees choose to validate or disregard long-speculated rumors that surround the superstars.
That means every actor must be equipped to run with a different show each night, Maybruch said, touting the improvisational abilities of the players.
In assuming the character of a young Spears who is new to the limelight, Maybruch, decked out in a replica of the singer’s classic schoolgirl uniform, performs a solo rendition of “Hit Me, Baby, One More Time” during the production.
Spears struggles to figure out what is taking place after being zapped to the late 1980s in the musical, Maybruch said.
Maybruch added that her character, who is a teenager at the time, must deal with looming obstacles, like the decision Spears would later make to shave her head.
“She’s kind of piecing her story together,” Maybruch said. “She’s kind of brainwashed, if you will.”
Before professionally mimicking Spears on stage, Maybruch drew laughs from friends by impersonating the singer at college gatherings, she said.
“It was always a silly party trick. It was never something that I thought would get me a job,” added Maybruch, who now lives in Manhattan.
The young woman auditioned for the gig in August 2012 and quickly received an offer for the part, she said. Rehearsals began in November, followed by preview performances that occurred in late January.
“Totally Tubular Time Machine” takes the stage at 8 p.m. on Saturdays, according to its website. General admission tickets are $60, but guests may opt to pay $90 for a V.I.P. ticket for one of the celebrity’s tables.
Maybruch graduated from Marlboro High School and went on to study theater at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
She has appeared in TV commercials, independent films and theater workshops. While she plans to advance her acting career in the future, Maybruch said right now she is pleased to hold an exciting job that situates her on stage.
“I’m hoping the show stays open for a long time and is brought to other parts of the world and other parts of the country,” she said.