[NEohioPAL] Berko review: THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES @ Beck

[Roy Berko]

THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES is an
escapist delight at Beck
 
Roy Berko
 
(Member, American Theatre Critics
Association)
 
--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--
Lorain County Times--Westlaker
Times--Lakewood News Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times  
 
--COOLCLEVELAND.COM—
 
Last spring Beck Center presented
the musical, JERRY SPRINGER THE OPERA.  The production was met with pickets and much controversy.  Beck need not worry about hullabaloo
with their present production, THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES, unless there is a
cat-fight between two audience members wearing the same cotton candy colored
prom dress or your candidate for queen doesn’t get elected.  (Hey, suggestion to the Beck public
relation’s people… have a “wear your prom dress and get in free night.”)
 
THE MAREVELOUS WONDERETTES is one
of those escapist review shows that features familiar music usually
sandwiched between some spoken lines that attempt to tell a rather far-fetched
story.  No one goes to learn
anything.  It’s all about enjoying
the songs and the musical sounds.  
 
And, in this William Roudebush production, there are a lot
of songs and musical sounds to enjoy.  The voices are good, the costumes era correct, and there is enough humor
to get the most stodgy member of the audience to tap his feet and sing along
with the 1950s and 60s songs.
 
The review was the brain child of Roger Bean, whose mother
was a varsity song leader, the precursor to the present show choirs (think Glee).  The
participants entertained at school functions and dreamed of becoming
celebrities.  A local Brush High
School group, The Poni Tails, actually succeeded in having a number one song on
the national charts, several more hits, and a brief career.
 
In 1998, Bean was asked to write a new musical.  Supposedly inspired by his mother's
past, he assembled a number of era songs and set them into a theme of best
friends, singing at their prom, and the ensuing teen-age conflicts.   Eventually, The Marvelous Wonderettes opened in New
York City in 2008 where it ran until 2010. 
Those of you who are old enough,
think back to 1958.  Those not old
enough, this was the era of chiffon, prim and proper, and no worry about
recessions or The Tea Party.  Travel
back to the fictitious Springfield High School prom where we meet the
Wonderettes, four girls with crushes, hopes and fantasies as big as their
crinoline skirts and hair!  Don’t
worry about the story line, it is incidental. Just focus on such songs as
“Lollipop,” “Dream Lover,” “Stupid Cupid,” “Lipstick On Your Collar,” “Hold Me,
Thrill Me, Kiss Me,” and “It’s My Party.”  And finish the evening off by moving forward 10 years, where the group
is reassembled for their tenth class reunion.
 
The quartette consists of the
zaftig, outspoken, sensitive Betty Jean (Amiee Collier); the pretty, boy
friend-stealing Cindy Lou (Nikki Curmaci)  whose dream in life is to be the prom queen; the prim and proper moral
leader of the group, Missy (Theresa Kloos); and Suzy (Caitlin Elizabeth
Reilly), a gum chewing cutie.
 
The Beck cast sings well, develops consistent
characterizations, moves well and is delightful.   Cast members get to vote for the prom queen and get
selected to be a teacher heart throb or the French teacher.
 
The gym prom setting, complete with homemade crepe paper
decorations, is perfectly created by Ben Needham.  David Glowe’s costume designs are era correct. Caitlin
Elizabeth Reilly’s choreography emulates the 50s and later the 60s—the twist,
the pony, stroll, hand jive, monkey and the Madison.  Musical director Larry Goodpaster has the girls in good
voice and the orchestra in perfect tune…underscoring, rather than drowning out
the voices.
  
CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:  Beck’s THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES is one of those feel good evenings of
theatre that is slight on story and long on escapist entertainment.  It makes for a delightful evening of
nostalgia. 
 THE
MAREVELOUS WONDERETTES is scheduled to run through October 16 at Beck Center
for the Arts.  For tickets and
information on the possibility of the run being extended, call
216-521-2540.   

 
Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2001 through 2011, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info.  His reviews can also be found on www.coolcleveland.com and www.NeOHIOpal
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