Stageloft’s ‘Plaid’ forever funnyBy Paul Kolas Telegram and Gazette Reviewer STURBRIDGE— The boys are posthumously back in town, thanks to that “warp in the astral plane in combination with a hole in the ozone layer.” Last playing locally at Foothills Theatre in 2004, “Forever Plaid” made a most pleasing return from its celestial perch at Stageloft Repertory Theater on Saturday night. Frankie (Bruce Adams), Sparky (Robert Killeen), Jinx (Fred D’Angelo) and Smudge (Patrick Lynch) are four aspiring singers who met in their high school’s audio-visual club and attended the Osterizer School of Harmonic Theory. Just as they were about to make their niche in the musical world of The Four Aces, The Four Freshman and other guy groups of the late ’50s and early ’60s, they were killed in a collision with a bus full of “parochial virgins” on their way to see the Beatles’ historic debut on The Ed Sullivan Show on Feb. 9, 1964. By the grace of Providence, they’re given a reprieve from the afterlife to display their chops. Sounds silly? Of course. But “Forever Plaid” is a glowing throwback to a time when people turned on the Ed Sullivan Show every Sunday night at 8 and rock ’n’ roll was angst-free. It may be a world looked at through rose-colored glasses, but Stuart Ross’ creation sidesteps cruel parody with honest affection. The best thing about director Edward Cornely’s production is the terrific camaraderie — and harmony — he elicits from his four actors/singers. Opening the show with a pitch-perfect rendition of The Four Aces’ version of “Three Coins in a Fountain,” Adams, Killeen, D’Angelo and Lynch mambo and strut their way through a veritable hit-list of songs from the era. They humorously use plungers as microphones on an early Crew Cuts hit, “Crazy ’Bout Ya, Baby,” and wear wide-brimmed sombreros for the spicy calypso number “Caribbean Plaid.” Killeen gets to shine his sweet tenor on “Perfidia” and “Heart and Soul,” while D’Angelo sings “Lady of Spain” with endearing schmaltz. Adams displays a confident baritone on such songs as “Gotta Be This or That/Undecided.” Lynch reaches way down for the low notes on “Sixteen Tons,” and one has to smile at his brave attempt to get there. Other highlights include a nostalgic tribute to Perry Como on “A Tribute to Mr. C” and a touching rendition of “Scotland the Brave,” when the guys finally get to wear the plaid jackets denied them by that unfortunate bus collision. The coup de grâce is a severely abbreviated version of The Ed Sullivan Show, cramming every act, from ventriloquism to juggling to Bill Dana as “Jose Jimenez,” into a frenzied three minutes. There’s a goofy exuberance to “Forever Plaid” that is ultimately irresistible, given a big boost by Jeff Kempskie’s jaunty piano playing, Kallin Johnson’s assured musical direction and Amy Gamache’s lively choreography. Kempskie will alternate with Larry Picard on piano. As Frankie, Sparky, Smudge and Jinx wrap up their musical sojourn with “Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing,” you might find yourself wishing they could stick around a little while longer. |