Red Barn Summer Theatre typically presents two plays and a musical each year.
The 2021 season opened with two comedies and will close with the musical “The Marvelous Wonderettes,” which will provide its share of laughs along with classic songs such as “Stupid Cupid” and “It’s My Party.”
“It’s very light-hearted, a great family show,” said Red Barn Theatre Artistic Director Michael Taylor, who is directing the musical.
“The Marvelous Wonderettes” runs from July 8 to 18 at the Frankfort venue.
The first act takes place at a 1958 senior prom.
“They’ve asked these four ladies to perform and be the entertainment,” Taylor said. “It’s all jukebox music with ‘50s music you would recognize.”
The second act is at the women’s 10-year class reunion, so the music is all from the1960s.
“The four girls never leave the stage,” Taylor said. “That’s been very challenging, because normally a musical you can break it up and say these three people are going to work on music, these three people are going to work on staging on choreography. These four have to work together all the time.”
The musical takes place in a gymnasium on a performing stage.
Taylor said there are approximately 30 songs.
“But they are ’50s and ’60s songs, so they are not as long as today’s songs,” Taylor said. “Two of the girls (Francesca Alfano and Kiara Wood) are not only trying to learn these songs and dances but are in ‘The Odd Couple’ as the Pigeon sisters at the same time. As soon as ‘Odd Couple’ opened (June 23), we went into rehearsals for this with the music.”
“The Odd Couple” was scheduled to close July 3.
“It always feels like crunch time around here because we do the shows so close together,” Taylor said. “But we’ve kind of figured out the strategy.”
For more, visit redbarntheatre.net.
