I first saw the musical comedy “Forever Plaid” 16 years ago in Denver. My then-4-year-old son and I loved it so much we saw it twice. Imagine my delight to learn it would be produced by the Pleasanton Playhouse, even if it meant “working” on a Saturday!
My son, now 20, his girlfriend and I went to the first Saturday performance. Although the music is my era (late ’50s-mid ’60s) not theirs and some of the pop culture references (Perry Como, the Ed Sullivan Show) left them flat, the comic timing and vocal skills of the foursome who comprise the Plaids successfully crossed the generational divide.
Like most musicals, the plot is thinly drawn (the four die in a car crash ala James Dean on their way to pick up their plaid tuxedos. Think madras plaid and The Lettermen). But any attempts at subtext just slow things down. Segues between songs are sufficient to hold the storyline together.
“Forever Plaid”‘s strength is its soaring harmonies, seamless transitions between prop and costume changes and the comedic skills of its four actors, backed up by keyboard player Greg Zema (a huge talent) and Mike Adam, a solid presence on bass.
Director/choreographer Derrick Silva’s familiarity with the play (he’s directed it before) is apparent in the quartet’s perfectly synchronized vocals, choreography and prop changes. The show we saw in Denver was the Broadway touring company. I like Silva’s better.
Although there were a few missteps (lLiterally in one case. An actor caught his heel and tumbled down a few stairs ferrying a prop out into the audience), it was only the second night. By and large, things were very smooth.
The four played to a near-full house and the audience clearly loved it. Enthusiastic, spontaneous applause followed every number. Songs like “Moments to Remember,” “No Not Much” and “Love is a Many-Splendored Thing” were, for many of us, a nostalgic trip back to sock hops, drive-in movies and high school sweethearts.
Two of the four actors’ vocals will amaze you, especially Jesse (“Jinx”) Garcia’s tenor. Even though his voice cracked during one number-ñhe may have strained it opening night–he still hit all but the very highest high notes. Best guess: In coming performances, he’ll hit them all.
Sean Fenton (“Smudge”) is a surprise. You don’t expect him to sing bass (physically, he’s small), but his deep voice booms out strong and clear. As an actor, Fenton has a real talent for campy parody, from his Buddy Holly dark-framed glasses, to his open-shirted take off on Elvis.
Christian LaCour (“Sparky”) displayed an only-average vocal range, but makes up for it with his Antonio Banderas good looks. LaCour gets extra points for joining the cast late after the original Sparky left the production.
Penn Brimberry (“Frankie”) should give serious thought to pursuing musical comedy as a career. With his strong vocals and great look, Brimberry is a natural–one with audience-engaging “star” power.
No show is perfect and this play has its weaknesses. The nosebleed joke gets old. The bit about step-dad/dad sitting on a couch with two boyhood Plaids’ heads (son/stepson) on each knee to bang together to keep time to music–well — . As the play drew to a close, the quartet’s somber, overly long discourse on being dead darkened the light-hearted feel-good flavor of the rest of the show. Luckily, things picked back up before it was over.
Although much of the audience Saturday night appeared to be my age (57) or older, no one seemed offended by the occasionally bawdy, more often mildly suggestive humor. You don’t have to “get” every such aside to have fun at “Forever Plaid.” The actors are also skilled at broad physical humor. Off and on throughout the show, a little boy–he looked to be about 6–sitting in front of us laughed out loud or dissolved in giggles.
The Pleasanton Playhouse production of Forever Plaid is an entertaining blend of humor and harmony, with appeal for the lovesick teenager in us all.
Carol Bogart is managing editor at the Pleasanton Weekly. She is a graduate of the National Theatre Conservatory’s summer training program at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.
The Pleasanton Connection
Producer Susan Hovey, just 26 years old, moved to Pleasanton from Dublin a few months ago. She has been involved in theater since the age of 5, first as a performer, and later learning sound design and stage managing. A few years ago, she began producing. As a producer, Forever Plaid is her sixth show. Hovey has been working with the Pleasanton Playhouse since she was 14 and said, “I feel more a part of the Pleasanton community than any other because of that involvement.”
Assistant to the stage manager Kristen Stivers, a scientist at Lawrence Livermore Lab in her day job, is also a Pleasanton resident, as is publicist Eric Wood.
Actor Penn Brimberry stars as Frankie in “Forever Plaidî–his third production with the Pleasanton Playhouse. Brimberry is a technical writer at Oracle in Pleasanton. He has also appeared in Playhouse productions of ìJesus Christ Superstarî and ìMan of La Mancha.” He said, “I’m 31 years old and I graduated from Amador High School (the one in Sutter Creek, not Pleasanton). Although my major at UC Davis was Zoology, I did a lot of work with the chorus. They were the ones who finally convinced me to audition for a show.” Married to Gillian, Brimberry credits her support and the devotion of his dog, Amber, for helping him through what he calls “the chaos that is the musical theater rehearsal schedule.”
IF YOU GO
DATES: Feb. 17-19; Feb. 24-26; March 3-5; March 10-12; March 17-18.
TIMES: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays
WHERE: Pleasanton Playhouse Studio Theatre, 1048 Serpentine Lane, Suite 309, Pleasanton
HOW MUCH: $20-adults, $18-seniors over 60, $18-children to age 18. Discounts for groups of 20 or more.
TO ORDER TICKETS: Call 462-2121 or on line at www.pleasantonplayhouse.com.
