The Marvelous Wonderettes
Saturday, Oct. 7
EL PORTAL THEATER
Prom night is usually accompanied by a mix of anticipation and
worry: Are my dance skills up to par? Will my dress make me look
like the belle of the ball? Does my date like me as more than a
friend?
Now you have the chance to experience prom night without the
butterflies in your stomach at the El Portal Theater in North
Hollywood. Director Roger Bean has brought to the stage a 1950s and
’60s-based musical about this rite of passage called
“The Marvelous Wonderettes,” which runs until Nov.
26.
Cindy Lou, Betty Jean, Suzy and Missy are four girls performing
’50s tunes as the vocal group the Marvelous Wonderettes at
their 1958 Springfield High School prom.
The theater’s intimate space makes you feel as if you
really are in a high school gym all over again, dancing (or
sitting) the night away to doo-wop and bubblegum pop.
As an added bonus, all four are in the running for prom queen,
and as an audience member, you get to vote. The girls try to entice
the audience for votes by performing a slew of real songs from the
1950s, including “Mr. Sandman,” “Lollipop”
and “Dream Lover.”
Of course, no high school prom is complete without drama.
As the girls sing “Allegheny Moon” into their
microphones, we get a taste of the rivalry between Cindy Lou
(Kirsten Chandler) and Betty Jean (Julie Dixon Jackson) as the
former tries to steal the latter’s boyfriend.
Each girl tries to upstage the other through various antics;
Betty Jean blows bubbles around Cindy Lou’s face to distract
her, and Cindy Lou puts makeup on instead of singing backup for
Betty Jean. As Betty Jean, Dixon Jackson’s comedic timing is
impeccable; she milks every opportunity for a joke, even during the
group’s tightly choreographed songs.
Perhaps the most entertaining parts of the show, however, were
the ones which involved audience participation. Missy, played by
Kim Huber, revealed that she had a crush on her teacher, “Mr.
Lee,” and then proceeded to bring a lucky chap from the front
row in the audience up on stage and serenade him. It’s quite
a treat, actually; Huber’s voice is the kind of beautiful
that makes a beast’s heart turn from stone to putty.
The second act of “Wonderettes” is the girls’
10-year Springfield High reunion, featuring some stellar songs from
the ’60s.
The girls have grown up, each with their own loves, labors and
lives. Standout performances here include a rockin’ rendition
of “Leader of the Pack” led by Chandler, complete with
leather jackets and cool shades; “That’s When The Tears
Start” by Dixon Jackson; and “Respect,” sung by
Bets Malone, whose Suzy is ditzy yet extremely likeable and
sweet.
Although the narrative of “Wonderettes” can seem
cheesy at times in an effort to weave songs together and make them
fit into the story (much like the Billy Joel musical
“Movin’ Out”), you’ll be having too much
fun to really care. Finally, you can have that perfect prom or high
school reunion night that you’ve always dreamed of,
guilt-free.
E-mail Fylstra at jfylstra@media.ucla.edu.