Friday, April 28, 2000

'Forever Plaid' to open May 5 at SMT Downtown

By LAURA STEWART
NEWS-JOURNAL FINE ARTS WRITER

DAYTONA BEACH — Even on the first day of rehearsal, the main idea behind "Forever Plaid," Seaside Music Theater's summer show that opens May 5, was clear.

Four microphones stood in a row at the front of the stage in SMT Downtown, on Beach Street, earlier this week. And, because The Plaids an imaginary '50s group that had been on the way to stardom when broadsided by a school bus would play their miraculous comeback gig straight from rock 'n' roll heaven, each mike was draped with a dinner napkin, an impromptu and amusing memorial to their talent.

The Plaids Smudge (Craig Thom Cook), Frankie (Tony Purvis), Jinx (Rob Cygan) and Sparky (Dan Cilli) arrived one by one at the rehearsal space behind the downtown stage, to join the rest of the "Forever" team. Music director Terry Tichenor was moving a battered upright piano onto the wooden stage, and scenic designer Robert Fetterman rushed to help.

Director Mark Harborth bent over a script with Belinda Allen, his assistant on "Forever Plaid," as well as assistant choreographer for Seaside's summer season. The musicians who would join The Plaids on stage in their "final" gig pianist Tracy Womack and bassist John Price wouldn't be at this rehearsal, so once the piano was in place, Tichenor became their accompanist.

The four singers were about to become The Plaids, and to mount a new version of the musical that was such a huge hit in Seaside's 1998 season that audiences had demanded its return. And that return as part of a Seaside summer season that includes a children's show at SMT Downtown, "Free To Be ... You and Me!" along with five full productions at the Theater Center at Daytona Beach Community College is huge, a record 58 shows between its May 5 opening and Aug. 13.

But huge is just the beginning. The four had never sung together before, and certainly not as The Plaids. But their mission this Monday was to become the group that would evoke memories of other fallen legends Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and The King, doo-wop and rock in all its wacky, wondrous harmonizing. Cook, Pur vis, Cygan and Cilli were in contemporary dress T-shirts and jeans, shorts, chinos as they listened to Harborth's introduction.

"Now, as Lester said," the director explained, gesturing toward SMT general manager Lester Malizia, seated beside him at the long table littered with scripts, soft drink and coffee cups and notes, "we have no time to do this. We have to do this show in just a week. You've all done the show before, except for Dan, in other productions.

"So bear with me. This is a team effort, but we have to work fast. Above all, take care of your voices, because that's what this is about," said Harborth, whose credits with Seaside include his direction of "High Spirits" in 1998 and stage management of 1999's "Hello, Dolly!," Rags" and "Sweet Charity." He was stage manager of SMT's 1998 "Forever Plaid," and although the latest version will be like others, it will differ slightly too.

"We're in a different location now, and even though Plaid' is generally done one way,' every director puts his own spin on it," said Harborth. I'm trying to remount this production as it was it was very popular, and that's why we're bringing it back.

"It's just a great show because of its music and characters these are four lovable guys," said the director. "If you're over 30 years old, the music will bring back wonderful memories. And if you're under 30, the music will be a pleasant surprise."

Even for the four young singers, who gathered around Tichenor at the piano for an initial run-through as Harborth and Allen flipped pages in the script on the rehearsal-room table and decided on last-minute moves, possible approaches, snazzy takes on "Forever Plaid."

Tichenor set the music on the piano, and made sure The Plaid was on the same page. Let's start with big measure No. 70, in Crazy 'Bout You, Baby,'" he said, striking the notes. The four-part harmony sprang to life, and Harborth and Allen responded to the infectious beat by miming movements to the doo-wop medley. They clapped and snapped their fingers, stopping only when Tichenor paused to ask a question.

"The first time he claps and the second time snaps?" the music director wondered. Harborth and Allen tried it out, as Allen took advantage of her dance shoes and boogied briefly.

"No," Harborth decided, "he snaps both times."

"Forever Plaid" opens May 5 at SMT Downtown, 176 N. Beach St., Daytona Beach, and runs through Aug. 13. For tickets, $20-$22, call (904) 252-6200 or (800) 854-5592.