| Beehive |
Girl singers of the 50s and 60s are alive and well at the El Portal with 2, count’
em 2 shows running simultaneously!
Beehive is a two-act concert of all the greatest hits of the era, performed
electrically by 6 superb singers (who can also dance!) and a great band. The
stellar performers are LaToya London (as Diana Ross), Tricia Kelly as Janis
Joplin, Stacy Francis as Tina Turner, Lesli Margherita as Connie Francis, Sylvia
MacCalla as Aretha Franklin, and Kathleen Hennessey as Lulu and Lesley
Gore's. (All of these ladies perform other singers’ hits as well.) Act 1 is a
potpourri of hits by various artists, and Act 2 becomes a series of mini-
concerts with the audience just itching to sing along. Nick DeGruccio
selected six spirited and accomplished actors for this maiden effort from the
Valley Musical Theatre, enhancing the proceedings with stylish and vibrant
staging. The always brilliant Nick DeGruccio has directed, with great
costumes by Thomas G. Marquez, and music director Jim Vukovich’s fabulous
band. This exuberant baby-boomer songfest provides an auspicious launch
for producer Ronn Goswick's ambitious new company.
October 3, 2006
Unlike Beehive, The Marvelous Wonderettes (brilliantly conceived and
directed by Roger Bean) has a storyline (often hilarious), as four high school
best friends sing 50s hits and joke, fight, laugh, feud, and make up with each
other…repeatedly through the course of two magical hours at the prom. Like
Beehive, The Marvelous Wonderettes features a seemingly limitless medley of
song hits enacted by four of the brightest gems of L.A. musical theater:
Kirsten Chandler, Kim Huber, Julie Dixon Jackson, and Bets Malone. Chandler
is the very lovely (and full of herself) Cindy Lou, Huber is shy but big voiced
Missy, Jackson is spunky/feisty Betty Jean, and Malone is delightfully ditzy
Suzy. Costumed to perfection by Sharrell Martin and dancing to the retro
moves of choregrapher Janet Miller with rich musical accompaniment by
musical director Allen Everman II, the fantastic four return in Act 2 ten years
older (and somewhat wiser) to sing many of the same unforgettable 60s hits
featured in Beehive. Wait till you see the changes those 10 years have
wrought! With standing ovations for each performance, you can be sure
that these Marvelous Wonderettes will be around for a long long time.
October 7, 2006
EL PORTAL THEATRE, NORTH HOLLWOOD.
--Steven Stanley
Wonderettes Photo: Michael Lamont
Beehive Photo: Ed Krieger
em 2 shows running simultaneously!
Beehive is a two-act concert of all the greatest hits of the era, performed
electrically by 6 superb singers (who can also dance!) and a great band. The
stellar performers are LaToya London (as Diana Ross), Tricia Kelly as Janis
Joplin, Stacy Francis as Tina Turner, Lesli Margherita as Connie Francis, Sylvia
MacCalla as Aretha Franklin, and Kathleen Hennessey as Lulu and Lesley
Gore's. (All of these ladies perform other singers’ hits as well.) Act 1 is a
potpourri of hits by various artists, and Act 2 becomes a series of mini-
concerts with the audience just itching to sing along. Nick DeGruccio
selected six spirited and accomplished actors for this maiden effort from the
Valley Musical Theatre, enhancing the proceedings with stylish and vibrant
staging. The always brilliant Nick DeGruccio has directed, with great
costumes by Thomas G. Marquez, and music director Jim Vukovich’s fabulous
band. This exuberant baby-boomer songfest provides an auspicious launch
for producer Ronn Goswick's ambitious new company.
October 3, 2006
Unlike Beehive, The Marvelous Wonderettes (brilliantly conceived and
directed by Roger Bean) has a storyline (often hilarious), as four high school
best friends sing 50s hits and joke, fight, laugh, feud, and make up with each
other…repeatedly through the course of two magical hours at the prom. Like
Beehive, The Marvelous Wonderettes features a seemingly limitless medley of
song hits enacted by four of the brightest gems of L.A. musical theater:
Kirsten Chandler, Kim Huber, Julie Dixon Jackson, and Bets Malone. Chandler
is the very lovely (and full of herself) Cindy Lou, Huber is shy but big voiced
Missy, Jackson is spunky/feisty Betty Jean, and Malone is delightfully ditzy
Suzy. Costumed to perfection by Sharrell Martin and dancing to the retro
moves of choregrapher Janet Miller with rich musical accompaniment by
musical director Allen Everman II, the fantastic four return in Act 2 ten years
older (and somewhat wiser) to sing many of the same unforgettable 60s hits
featured in Beehive. Wait till you see the changes those 10 years have
wrought! With standing ovations for each performance, you can be sure
that these Marvelous Wonderettes will be around for a long long time.
October 7, 2006
EL PORTAL THEATRE, NORTH HOLLWOOD.
--Steven Stanley
Wonderettes Photo: Michael Lamont
Beehive Photo: Ed Krieger
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| The Marvelous Wonderettes |