Theater review: ‘The Marvelous Wonderettes’

Think of it as Forever Plaid in prom dresses.

The Marvelous Wonderettes, the comedic musical revue that opened Friday at Onstage in Bedford, shares some similarities with that better-known show. Both feature a close-harmonizing quartet from the 1950s and a bevy of retro tunes, and both have been popular enough to inspire spinoffs featuring the same characters in different contexts.

But the big differences are that the Plaids are male and dead, while the Wonderettes are a very much alive girl group.

The show opens on prom night, 1958, in the Springfield High School gym (if you wonder which Springfield, you have obviously never gotten that joke on The Simpsons). Entertaining the bobbysoxers are our title group, comprising Cindy Lou (Lindsey Kay Janacek), Betty Jean (Laura Merchant), Missy (Megan Alexander) and Suzy (Shannah Rae). Their set list includes standards (Mr. Sandman) and pop hits of the day (Lollipop, Stupid Cupid, Dream Lover). Between numbers, they flirt with boyfriends in the audience and squabble among themselves, while also trying to pump up enthusiasm about the prom queen voting — a hotly contested race in which the audience is invited to vote, using ballots found in the program.

In Act 2, the girls of 1958 return as the women of 1968, who put their act back together for the benefit of their high-school reunion. That event finds the music and the singers altered, especially Suzi, who appears to be about 10 months pregnant. Their voices remain the same, but it is obvious that their lives (like the world around them) have changed quite a bit since the Eisenhower era.

The most appealing aspect of this production directed by Dennis Yslas is the vocalizing. All four women have fine voices that blend beautifully. Most of the songs require them to harmonize a great deal and those moments are a joy.

Less satisfying, however, is the solo work from the actresses. They all approach their lead parts as if they feel it is impolite to sing more loudly than their sisters in song. All four really need to loosen up and let it rip when they have the spotlight to themselves. Voices that good should not be restrained.

The women are supported by an unseen live, four-piece band led by music director Amy Lee Wyatt that usually takes care of business well enough. But at the opening-night performance seen for this review, the percussion was often too dominant.

It should also be understood that, while the music is quite good, this is an extremely slight piece of entertainment. There is not much context in this script by Roger Bean. We learn a bit about the girls’ lives, but there is no effort at building any dramatic tension. The comedic aspects largely work (such as a silly “girl fight” that breaks out in act one), but this show is more about its songs than its story or characters.

Act 2 is also somewhat disappointing in that it does not separate 1968 from 1958 as clearly as it could. The numbers offered are tilted heavily toward the pop and Motown hits of the early to mid-1960s (It’s My Party, The Shoop Shoop Song, Rescue Me), rather than the more radical, and iconic, music that emerged later in that period.

The costume designs by Lindsey Humphries look right for the 1958 act. But, while the go-go boots are a nice touch in Act 2, it seems that the 1960s could have been more strongly visualized. Shouldn’t one of those women have had a peace symbol hanging around her neck, for example? And also on the subject of costuming, Suzi’s baby bump just looks like some irregularly shaped object stuffed under her top. That could be done much better.

So if this show was any lighter, it would float off the stage. And the songs are so old they creak. But, as long as you don’t expect a great deal of dramatic or comedic framing, the voices may be enough to carry the day for you. Especially if these ladies will give us the pleasure of belting out some of these classics instead of just singing them.

This story was originally published March 22, 2015 at 1:25 PM with the headline "Theater review: ‘The Marvelous Wonderettes’."