Playhouse launches 84th season with musical ‘Forever Plaid’

Tom Titus

Not that you really need a concept or a back story to put together an

evening of harmonizing by a quartet with its roots deep in the 1950s,

but “Forever Plaid” has one of the most interesting concepts.

This musical event, which will check into the Laguna Playhouse in

two weeks for a two-month engagement, showcases some of the greatest

pop music hits of the pre-Elvis era. But the singers aren’t old

fogeys in their 60s -- they’re barely old enough to vote.

And, they’re all dead.

Some five decades ago, the plot line goes, the Plaids were all

geared up to show their stuff in their first big concert. However, on

their way to pick up their costumes, their car was struck by a bus

loaded with teenage girls en route to the Beatles’ first appearance

on the Ed Sullivan Show. So much for their big career in show

business.

But, thanks to some dilithium crystals being tossed into the

space-time continuum, or something like that, the four Plaids are

given a reprieve and sent back to Earth from the Great Beyond to give

that concert that never happened. That’s where the Laguna show will

begin.

For those who grooved to such ‘50s songs as “Three Coins in the

Fountain,” “Heart and Soul” and “Love is a Many Splendored Thing,”

the next two hours should be pure Valhalla. The posthumous concert

has played out twice locally, at Orange Coast College and the Orange

County Performing Arts Center, and has been well received on both

occasions.

In the Laguna production, Larry Raben directs a quartet composed

of Ryan Drummond, Steve Gunderson, David Humphrey and Kevin McMahon.

Dwight Richard Odle is designing the scenery and costumes, with

Steven Young and David Edwards handling lighting and sound-design

duties, respectively.

“Forever Plaid” will run Tuesdays through Sundays until Aug. 29 --

but will take a breather each Monday, when the one-nun comic

outburst, “Late Nite Catechism,” which checked in nearly a year ago,

takes over the stage.

All evening performances are 7:30 p.m., with Saturday and Sunday

matinees at 2 p.m., at the playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road. But be

sure to arrive early, since it’s Festival of Arts season once more

and parking will be at a premium.

Tickets are priced at $29 for previews next Tuesday, Wednesday and

Thursday, $33 for Friday and $45 to $52 through the regular run. They

can be ordered at (949) 497-2787.

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Coastline Pilot.