Exit 7 Players

Quick Overview

The Andrews Brothers

The New 40's Musical by Roger Bean

October 16, 17, 23, 24, 25, 30 and 31, 2009

Review by Donna Bailey-Thompson

No law exists against being thoroughly entertained (even beguiled) by another Exit 7 Players runaway hit. There's enough of a story line to mount two dozen Hit Parade favorites of decades ago, many still played today, that capture the flavor of 1945 wartime. At a South Pacific island, a traveling USO act is expected to perform for troops shipping out the next day, back into the fighting.

In the meantime, three stage hands (Joe Alvernaz, Robert Clark III, Steven Sands) are recruited as replacement backup singers and dancers for a canary -- a girl singer scheduled to open for the expected Andrews Sisters. They tear up the stage. These are ordinary guys, who in 2009 real life have day jobs, but don't tell anybody because they perform with the aplomb and professionalism for which Exit 7 is well-known. As for the canary (Diane Lamoureaux), she's so perfectly cast that she's almost a cliche: super pretty, she sells every song with perfect pitch, and radiates a sweetness.

An eight-piece orchestra swings, stoking urges to dance. There's no room for violins in this big band knock-off that features clarinet (Doug Glanville), saxophones (Kristen Dye, Nathan Carr), trombone (Donna McKeever), trumpet (Sheldon Ross), bass (Sherri Jyringi) and drums (Kevin Barker) all under the direction of conductor Karla Newmark at the keyboard. Their beat is infectious.

Director Pam Abair keeps the stage alive: it hums. Jennifer Marshall's choreography is outstanding: no dance moves are repeated -- no small feat. Remember? There are two dozen musical numbers. The first act opens with the novelty hit, The Hut Sut Song, about as close as the '40s came to rap. Costumer Cheryl Chant gets the '40s: the singer's shirt dress is a canary yellow (well, why not?) and the guys wear various combinations of fatigue parts.

Towards the end of Act I, word arrives that the Andrews Sisters won't: one of the sisters has chickenpox and the trio is quarantined. With the help of Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive, the canary convinces the guys that they can't let down the troops who are expecting a show, and further, that they have the chops to perform as the Andrews Brothers. When the guys discover the Andrews Sisters' props have arrived, they are inspired to go certifiably nuts singing and dancing The Hawaiian War Chant which, among other accomplishments, lends credence to Darwin's Theory of Evolution and almost destroys the audience with laughter.

Triple threat Paul Hamel (technical director and master carpenter, producer) together with Ken Samonds (scenic artist) have caught the look of the tropics with only a couple palm trees as well as the austerity of a war zone hosting USO morale boosting activities. See also: www.uso.org

The first half of Act 2 combines song and dance routines by the Andrews Brothers, three hotties in drag, wobbling in heels, hairy legs showing through stockings, wearing generously proportioned cantilevered bras. Creator/Author Roger Bean knows when to phase out the joke in favor of the canary's solos which give the trio time to change back into guys, this time wearing military issue suntans. The reuniting of this talented foursome reignites the charm and fun they generated at the beginning. The combination of long-loved songs sung by trained voices coupled with innovative dance routines brings a cheering audience to its feet, a salute to the performers and production team for a well-deserved standing O.

This show is worth seeing twice.

"This show is worth seeing twice."
"I put my money where my mouth was when I wrote my first review of The Andrews Brothers and now I have seen it twice -- for twice the anticipation, twice the enjoyment, twice the appreciation of upbeat entertainment.

In addition to the basic ingredients -- a good script for an experienced director to build upon, the nostalgic kick of WW II hit songs, appropriately imaginative choreography, an outstanding cast of pro-level caliber -- the show overflows with the warmth generated by four performers who love what they're doing. When this invisible essence flows among the actors and back and forth between cast and audience, a good show becomes even better and is certifiably worth seeing twice." --- Donna Bailey-Thompson

FINAL TWO PERFORMANCES

Friday and Saturday at 8:00 PM October 30 and 31, 2009
www.exit7players.org
413-583-4301
37 Chestnut Street, Ludlow MA