Gerri Garner’s Entertainment File Kaleidascope Radio Magazine: KCLA, KLAS, KPRO-AM, KMAX-AM
Life Could Be a Dream By Gerri Garner August 13, 2009
Life Could Be a Dream, a fabulous musical by writer-director Roger Bean (The Marvelous Wonderettes), is a charming and affectionate recreation of those really less troubled times in 1960. It takes place in a town called Springfield. (Every state in the union has a town named Springfield; even the Simpsons live in a town named Springfield.) When I walked in, I recognized the beautiful basement set by Tom Buderwitz. I spent many years in that almost exact replica of my girlfriend’s basement. We didn’t sing down there, but we certainly danced. The story centers on a local radio station that is sponsoring a contest searching for the best doo-wop group. The prize will be a recording contract and a tour. Denny (Daniel Tatar), who doesn’t have a job, is convinced he will win and he will get fame and fortune. He gets his nerdish, life-long friend Eugene (Jim Holdridge) and choirboy singer Wally (Ryan Castellino) to join the group. They do not have the fifty-dollar entrance fee for the contest. To get a sponsor to provide the money, they go to the owner of a local auto chain, who sends his top mechanic, handsome, sexy Skip (Doug Carpenter), and his charming redheaded daughter Lois (Jessica Keenan Wynn), to check the guys and their ability. Well, Skip gets recruited into the new group, Denny and the Dreamers. Terrific ensemble work by all five, with innovative choreography by Lee Martino, and spectacular lighting by Luke Moyer, designed to incorporate the hit songs of that era, from the silly “Sh-Boom” and “Rama Lama Ding Dong” to fabulous ballads like “Earth Angel,” “Unchained Melody,” “The Great Pretender” and “The Glory of Love.” Shon LeBlanc’s costumes are outstanding, and even funny at times. This is a hell of a lot of fun and a good time will be had by all. It is our critic’s pick. I encourage you to take your kids—they will love it.