Dean Poling | The Valdosta Daily TimesAndrew Poston sings 'Papa Loves Mambo' backed by Steven Bidwell, Imari Thompson, Olin Davidson in the Peach State Summer Theatre production of 'Forever Plaid.'

VALDOSTA – “Forever Plaid” is a musical about second chances.

The conceit here is the Plaids, a fictional singing group, die in a car wreck on the way to see the Beatles’ American debut on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” 

For audiences, it is a second chance to hear live versions of pre-Beatles pop songs.

“Forever Plaid” is the second show of the 2017 Peach State Summer Theatre season. It is set to open Friday evening, June 16. The PSST! production of “Shrek the Musical” opened two weeks ago. The third musical, “My Fair Lady,” opens June 23. Then all three shows run in rotating repertory.

For “Forever Plaid,” the key to a successful production is remembering the show’s heart at the center of the music and humor, said Duke Guthrie, the show director and PSST! managing director.

“Forever Plaid” is playwright Stuart Ross’ love letter to the harmony groups, such as the Four Aces, etc., of the late 1950s and early 1960s.

“Forever Plaid” may possibly be the sleeper hit, the middle show that finds audiences through word of mouth, similar to past PSST! shows such as “Ring of Fire,” “Always … Patsy Cline,” “The Marvelous Wonderettes,” etc.

The Plaids return from the great beyond to perform the show of a lifetime … or after-lifetime. 

Guthrie said PSST! has found four great male singers to perform songs such as “Three Coins in the Fountain,” “Undecided,” “Gotta Be This or That,” “Moments to Remember,” “Crazy ‘Bout Ya, Baby,” “No, Not Much,” “Sixteen Tons,” “Chain Gang,” “Perfidia,” “Cry,” “Heart and Soul,” “Lady of Spain,” “Scotland the Brave,” “Shangri-La,” “Rags to Riches” and “Love is a Many-Splendored Thing.”

The cast is Steven Bidwell, Olin Davidson, Andrew Poston and Imari Thompson. They are joined by musicians David Springfield, piano; Trent Harper, bass.

DIRECTON, PRODUCTION: H. Duke Guthrie, director; Jason Lee Courson, scene design, projection design; Genny Wynn-Muncy, lighting design; Esther Iverson, costume design; David Springfield, music director; Joe Mason, vocal director; Ruth A. Brandvik, projection programmer; DeAnna T. Keys, stage manager; Elie Siegel, moving light programmer; Zach Cramer, sound consultant.

 

 

SHOWTIME

Peach State Summer Theatre presents “Forever Plaid.”

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 16, 17, then on various dates through mid-July.

Where: Sawyer Theatre, Valdosta State University Fine Arts Building, corner of Oak and Brookwood.

Reservations, more information on schedules, tickets: Visit www.valdosta.edu/psst.