Review by Carol Montana, Photos by Jeff Knapp
ELLENVILLE, NY (August 15, 2013) – It’s 1958, and the four ladies we sang and danced with in Shadowland’s 2010 production of “The Marvelous Wonderettes” are back.
“The Marvelous Wonderettes: Caps and Gowns” is the sequel to the original Off-Broadway hit musical, and it’s just as much fun as the first show. The show is written and created by Roger Bean, with vocal and musical arrangements by Michael Borth.
The graduates are: Betty Jean (Laura Pavles), Cindy Lou (Mary Lane Haskell), Missy (Katie Reid) and Suzy (Morgan Paige Fluss), and in Act I we meet up with them on their graduation day from Springfield High.
Old rivalries and memories surface to take us back to those wonderful “days of yesteryear” as the girls entertain us with nearly 20 hits from the 50s, including “Rockin’ Robin,” “Personality,” “It’s Only Make Believe” and “Sealed with a Kiss.” There’s some audience participation as the girls ooze with admiration for the new football leader Coach Warner, “Springfield High’s biggest athletic supporter.”
It’s a show of one-upmanship as the girls reveal their “last will and testament,” and the performers’ precise harmony of “Dedicated to the One I Love” will knock your socks off, as will the Act I finale “Graduation Day.”
Act II takes place a decade later and three months after their 10-year reunion, and opens with Missy’s wedding, where the rest of the quartet are bridesmaids and, of course, all of them are the entertainment for the reception. Another 16 songs fill the air including “Rock Around the Clock,” “Dancing in the Street,” “Hooked on a Feeling,” “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” and “Good Lovin’.”
The set by Colin McGurk is literally the Springfield High School stage, complete with wood-paneled proscenium and a scrim curtain that reveals or hides the back-up band comprised of Musical Director/pianist Samuel Shull, Percussionist Dennis Bisoglio, Guitarist Greg Marl and Synthesizer player Steve Greenfield. There are some cute interactions between the boys and the girls, too.
The rest of the production team is first rate with perfect and colorful costumes by Eleanor Wolfe, great lighting Chris Hallenbeck and decent sound design by Jeff Knapp.
Director/Choreographer Joe Langworth keeps the show moving along with the great songs and dances, the funny upbeat banter of the girls and the poignant moments that only best friends celebrate.
Reid, Haskell, Pavles and Fluss form a true ensemble cast and you can almost see them as best friends off-stage as well as on. Their voices blend with and support each other and the aforementioned harmonies will take you back to the days when you, too were in high school.
Bottom line, you’ll be “Wishin’ and Hopin’” that the show never ends.
“The Marvelous Wonderettes: Caps and Gowns” plays through September 8 on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. For reservations call 845-647-5511 or visit the Shadowland Theatre’s Web site.
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