Saturday, November 28, 2009
The 70s are Back in Polyester the Musical
If you’ve ever wanted to revisit the disco flash of the 70s, now’s your chance. Polyester the Musical by Phil Olson and Wayland Pickard is just the kind of over the top cheeseball musical experience that could have come out of the disco era itself. Sandwiched between the counterculture social revolution of the 60s and the excesses and growth which characterized the 80s, the mid-70s will always have the distinction of contributing disco to pop culture. At least it provided a reason for artists to reach for other edgier journeys into hard rock, punk and heavy metal. But none of that here…
Polyester the Musical is the story of The Synchronistics, an over-the-hill ABBA wannabe group, who re-unite for one last performance. They need to raise $10,000 so the Disco Hall of Fame can break ground and also so they can save the local public access television station from going under. Or so they think.
The night provides secrets, lies and videotape of the fluffiest kind, and in true musical theatre fashion, all roads ultimately lead to a happy ending. You’ll also find your typical stock characters along the way. There’s the pretty, insecure one (Pamela Donnelly), the good-natured air head (Gwendolyn Druyor), the one missing a few brain cells/borderline creepy one (Jim Stahl) and the macho one (Christopher Fairbanks). Oh, and there’s also the sarcastic one, courtesy of Robert Moon, as the host of the telethon. His green polyester suit and pastel blue ruffled tux shirt are a true glamour-don’t comment on the fashion world of the time.
Direction is by Wayland Pickard and Doug Engalla, with choreography by Michele Bernath that even includes a return of The Hustle. The show runs through December 20 at the Actors Forum Theatre located at 10655 Magnolia Blvd. in North Hollywood. For reservations call 323-822-7898 or go to http://www.theatermania.com/.
