‘Movin’ Out’ to the arts center

TOM TITUS

Imagine, if you will, a musical centered on five lifelong friends

making their way through the turbulent decades of the 1960s and ‘70s

-- with no spoken dialogue, just song and dance.

That would be “Movin’ Out,” a show conceived, choreographed and

directed by five-time Grammy-winner Billy Joel and legendary director

and choreographer Twyla Tharp. And it’s headed our way.

“Movin’ Out” arrives at the Orange County Performing Arts Center

Tuesday for a two-weekend engagement, and advance word on the show

describes it as “energetic, exuberant and utterly invigorating.”

The story focuses on a handful of teenagers in 1960s suburbia.

Eddie, Tony and James are three good-natured high school guys, while

Judy and Brenda are the girls involved with two of them. When the

three fellows go off to Vietnam, only two come home. Many playgoers

will recognize the characters, as they come from Joel’s lyrics in a

number of his hit songs.

Among the Billy Joel numbers featured in the show are “Captain

Jack,” in which the drug-addicted Eddie has pretty much hit rock

bottom, the Vietnam flashback “Goodnight Saigon” and the redemptive

trio of songs “River of Dreams,” “Keeping the Faith” and “Only the

Good Die Young.”

“Movin’ Out” is described as about starting a new part of your

life, about moving on. Sort of what “The Deer Hunter” might have been

as a musical, with the characters connecting with one another only in

song.

The songs and dances take audiences through a poignant narrative

comprised of three main elements -- post-World War II idealism, the

Vietnam War and its subsequent unrest and, finally, survival.

Performances are scheduled through July 10 at the center, with

curtain Tuesdays through Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 8

p.m., and Sundays at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Reservations are being taken at

(714) 556-2787.

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Daily Pilot. His reviews

appear Fridays.