|
Chemeketa Community College will open its theater season Friday with an affectionate spoof of one of the icons of 1970s pop culture, Up With People.
"Have a Nice Day!", a smiley- face musical tribute by Portland writer Rick Lewis, is a gentle spoof, director/performer Mat Genuser said.
"It's very lighthearted," he said.
"Basically, the plot is a group of five young people who are traveling the country. They want to 'save the people, save the country.'
"The question is: Save the people from what? They want to save the people from having a bummer day."
In spirit, he compares the show to "Forever Plaid," in which the spoof was kindhearted rather than malicious.
Up With People was a conservative movement that grew to include five touring companies of young people who may not have had any particular talent but pooled their resources for upbeat musical productions more notable for spirit than anything else.
Jenn Burleton, music director for Genuser’s production, actually toured with Up With People for several years.
In fond remembrance of the experience, she created the production “Shout Out!” in Portland, using original Up With People music. Her goal is to have chapters around the country.
The five people in “Have a Nice Day!” are all special types who wear their hearts on their sleeves.
Ronda, a Rosie O’Donnell type from New Jersey, is played by Dawnie Drebin.
Kitt, the leader of the group, a young man who wanted to burn his draft card and ended up being estranged from his father, is played by Genuser.
Brian, a misfit military brat in search of good friends, is played by Jason Richard Gilliland.
Holly, who has been with the group since it was “Have a Nifty Day!” and is more introspective and restrained, is played by Danielle Flemming.
Lori Anne, a girl from Alabama who wants to have a TV show and sing with Vicki Lawrence, is played by Sheryl Rindel.
The plot device is that this is the final, farewell performance by the group, which has spent the last five years touring, helping America smile.
They share their experiences and hopes for the future in the course of the evening, performing more than 40 period songs.
“The show is really divided into a lot of diverse medleys,” Genuser said.
The songs are divided up into such themes as “I Believe in Music,” “Salute to Ethnicity” and “Sunshine.”
The latter includes “Sunshine Day,” “Country Sunshine,” “You Are the Sunshine of My Life,” “Sunny” and “Let the Sunshine In.”
The ethnicity numbers range from “Black & White” to “Half-Breed” and “Bein’ Green.”
The music is taken from 1968 to 1974, and originally was performed by the likes of Cher, John Denver, The Brady Bunch and The Cowsills.
“The cast takes it very seriously,” Genuser said. “They’re singing with a message.”
Genuser also did the choreography for the show, which will be performed on a simple set and features recorded music.
The production is a fund-raiser for the Chemeketa theater program.
|
