THEATRE REVIEW:
KPBS
AIRDATE: March 01, 2003
For many of us, the '60s was the
defining decade of our lifetime. And the seminal events of that era were marked
by music. We females went from whiners to young women, from preteens to
protesters. After the assassinations and the British invasion, we all lost our
innocence -- one way or another. Okay, maybe the all-girl musical revue
"Beehive" isn't making any political points or philosophical
statements. But in taking us back to those times, it calls up a million
memories -- not only of living through the events, but exactly what we were
doing when we first heard those songs -- from "Where the Boys Are"
and "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?" to "Woodstock,"
"Destiny's Child," "Piece of My Heart" and
"Respect." And the beat, as we are repeatedly reminded, goes on.
With its focus exclusively on girl
groups, you could call this the female "Forever Plaid." But though
those irresistibly tight harmonies may have thrilled you, the songs didn't
break off a piece of your heart. And that show, while perennial and amusing,
was dependent on the appeal of, well, plaid. "Beehive" doesn't just
have harmony -- it has hair! -- the titular, teased, tower of AquaNet spray,
not to mention the flips, the Cher-dos and the wild abandon of the anti-war
anti-style.
Not only do these women have to sing
like the Shirelles, the Shangri-Las and the Supremes, they have to become
Connie Francis, Brenda Lee, Leslie Gore and all those stellar one-namers: Tina,
Janis, Joni, Cher and Aretha. And boy, can these six sing! Three of them were
in the original, long-running "Beehive" production that inaugurated
the Theatre in Old Town ten years ago. One of them, Laura Lamun, even stopped
making music and theater (her funny-named health care products are for sale in
the lobby). But she's still a little spitfire in tremendous voice. Lucky for
us, Lamun was brought in from Colorado and out of theatrical retirement by
director Paula Kalustian and costumer/choreographer Jill Mesaros, who were all
a-buzz about their "Beehive" anniversary production.
Other returnees are multi-talented
actor/singers Lisa Payton-Davis (a terrific Tina Turner) and Colleen Sudduth (a
super Joni Mitchell). Some other local ladies get to strut their stuff like
never before: Joy Yandell definitely does Janis -- she's got the moves, the
look and the wail. Jazz-singer Renae Mitchell brings down the house as Aretha.
And Emily Mitchell, no relation, a soon-to-be grad of the Musical Theatre MFA
program at San Diego State, is a knockout, with the grace, talent and charisma
of a theatrical triple-threat.
There's no story in
"Beehive," just a walk down a musical memory lane, with a jukebox
background and a boffo backup band, headed by hoppin', boppin' pianist Jasper
Grant. Mindless fun, but a guaranteed
good time -- especially for us much-maligned Boomers! The kickin' choreography and perfecto performances make you want
to dance and cry and reminisce and make out and fall in love and get stoned and
get angry and get involved all over again.
©2003
Patté Productions Inc.