Four good ol’ boys and two good ol’ gals give audiences a good ol’ time in
this easy going, just for fun assembly of country music and shtick. For
twenty years theater troupes of all stripes have found this amiable and good
spirited package of humorous homilies and foot stompin’ songs as much fun to
mount as it is for audiences to attend. First it was the writers themselves.
They took it to Broadway where it was nominated for a Tony as best musical.
Then professional troupes took a crack at it. Now community theaters are
doing it and it is still a lot of fun.Storyline: A country music
review is set somewhere on Highway 57 between Smyrna and Frog Level in one
of the Carolinas. The staff of four at the garage on one side of
Highway 57 are the Pump Boys. The two waitresses at the diner across the
highway are the Dinettes. After a dozen and a half songs, few will remember
if there was a story at all.
The Pump Boys for this production are lead by Pat McInerney who has the
strongest voice and plays a fine guitar. Bill Schillinger handles a guitar
quite well too, especially in support of the Dinette’s tender number
"Sisters." Don Bellotte has the bass guitar chores but isn’t shy about
stepping out front. He has an Elvis Presley impersonation in the first act
and leads the ode to a "Farmers Tan" (brown arms, white chest, red neck) in
the second. Chuck Perryman is the silent type, spending most of his time
behind the piano or a banjo. But he breaks out with the story of "The Night
Dolly Parton Was Almost Mine."
The Dinnettes in this instance are Deb Booth and Kathy Kennett. Kennett
has the country twang down pat while Booth tends toward a more legitimate
theatrical voice. But they both enter into the spirit of the thing with a
twinkle in their eyes and a wink.
A simple, good humored show gets a simple set that doesn’t take itself
too seriously. The stripe of highway running down the back curtain and on
the floor from up stage to down runs right off the lip of the stage into the
audience. The garage is filled with "gone fishing" signs, cola coolers and
similar items to give it a lived in feel. The diner, on the other hand, is
neat and functional. The good-time feeling is even carried over into the
lobby where you will find directions to Smyrna and to Frog Level.
Conceived and written by Jim Wann, Cass Morgan, Debra Monk, John
Foley, John Hardwick and John Schimmel. Directed by Susy Moorstein. Musical
direction by Herb Tax. Choreography by Marueen Sullivan. Design: Susy
Moorstein, Janet Manning (set) Ken and Patti Crowley (lights) Anna Hawkins
(sound) Susy Moorstein (costumes). Cast: Deb Booth, Kathy Kennett, Dan
Bellotte, Pat McInerney, Chuck Perryman, Bill Schillinger.