ACCESSIBLY LIVE OFF-LINE
(Vol. 14-No. 38-Week of September 21st, 2009)
The scene is a local dance hall called the Bar & Fill, a honkytonk joint located somewhere in the heartland of America. The place was founded some years ago (as a car wash) by Daddy Eldridge. In the present time his kid Eldridge Jr. (Brendan Hunt) has taken over, performing as lead singer with his back up band providing the best s#it-kickin' down home tunes this side of the pecos. He was once married to Lucinda (Natascha Corigan) when they were once high school sweethearts, and she later was part of Jr. stage show. That marriage got busted, leaving Lucinda stuck with their kid Eldridge III! (Child support from Jr.? Ha!!) But Jr. has a new gal, Patsy (Courtney DeCosky) who still gives a competing edge to Lucinda. (Never mind the fact that she's divorced!) From bickering between Lucinda and Jr., to cat fights between Patsy and Lucinda, and the helpful advice from the barkeep Doc (Bryan Krasner), it's just another Saturday night around the ol' dance-hall ranch!
This very clever musical featuring book by Jeff Goode, and musical score Richard Levinson (with additional music and lyrics by DeWayne Blackwell, Randy Cate, Thomas Rucker Campbell, Larry Herbstritt, and Diana Martin), is a comic C&W epic that offers a great kick in the jeans seat chuckles when it comes to earthy laughs, along with a great smokin' county-flavored score! Jeremy Aldridge, who previously directed the swingin' Louis & Keely Live At the Sarah when it placed both at the Sacred Fools and the Matrix Theatre not too long ago, trades in his be-bop jazz lid for a tall cowboy hat 'n boots to provide the best way to spend a few hours (two actually) at a wood floored dance rathskeller while downing an ice cold Pabst Blue Ribbon or two (from a can rather than a long neck bottle) and enjoin' the opry band right from the stage! A live country kickin' ensemble maintains the score, consisting of John Groover McDuffie on guitar/pedal steel (and provides the musical direction), Peter Freiberger on bass/petal steel, Dave Fraser on piano, and John Palmer on drums, all performing as Jr.'s house band that does make this beer mill jump! Besides the band, David Kuntson's set design supplies the color backdrop as showing off one overgrown road house, complete with the standard bar loaded down with booze, above the dance floor level stage, and plenty of tin advertising signs that came from various fence posts and filling stations all over the rural county seat!
Also appearing in the cast is Dave Fraser and Rachel Howe. Dancers appearing (one would not have a dance hall without its stock of two-steppin' dancers) are Ceaser F. Barajas, Mike Kluck, Gregg Moon, Don Baker, Rhonda Diamond, Gina Tucci, and Natasha Norman, all scootin' under Allison Bibcoff's choreography.
Although this show is more of a mainstream variety than what one could expect from the Sacred Fools, SAVIN' UP FOR SATURDAY NIGHT is one hoot n' hollar good time! Just remember that Jr's Bar & Fill is a respectable joint! So no cussin', no spittin, no (not enough) drinkin', no fightin', and make sure you take home the right person at closing time! You may regret it otherwise come morning! (Y'hear??)
SAVIN' UP FOR SATURDAY NIGHT, presented by The Sacred Fools
Theatre Company and performs at the Sacred Fools Theatre, 660 North
Heliotrope Drive (off Melrose), Hollywood, until October 24th.
Showtimes are Friday and Saturday nights @ 8:00 PM. Special Sunday
evening shows perform on October 4th and 11th @ 7:00 PM. Reservations
and information, call (310) 281-8337, or via
http://www.SacredFools.org
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ACCESSIBLY LIVE OFF-LINE
(Vol. 14-No. 38-Week of September 21st, 2009)