Anyone who loves the era of big bands and boogie woogie won’t want to miss this musical tribute to the golden age of radio now playing at the Arvada Center.
Before TV, and long before YouTube and Facebook, it was radio that brought news and entertainment to American homes. The 1940’s Radio Hour shows how a live broadcast may have looked behind the scenes at that time.
The set is WOV radio studio in New York City, Christmas, 1942. It’s a snowy night, and the cast of entertainers begins to arrive and prepare for the final Variety Cavalcade’s holiday show to be broadcast to the troops overseas during World War ll. The 13-piece band tunes up, the characters chatter and putter around the set, and the stage manager instructs the audience—that is now playing the interactive studio audience—to clap when the applause light goes on.
Finally, with everyone in place, the station’s general manager and announcer Clifton Feddington (John Arp) goes on the air and the real fun begins. The rest of the show is highly charged entertainment as each of the characters reveals his and her personality in a nostalgic nod to the music of the 40s. Songs like “Love Is Here To Stay,” “Black Magic,” “Ain’t She Sweet,” “Blue Moon,” “You Go To My Head,” and “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” will bring back memories for many.
Among the talented cast, there’s the gum-chewing sultry singer Ginger (Shannon Steele), the cigarette-smoking heartthrob Johnny Cantone (David Bryant Johnson), and funny man Neal Tilden (Ben Dicke). Steele’s sexy rendition of “Blues in the Night” is a show-stopper. Cute and bubbly Connie (Julia Perrotta) amazes with an energetic jitterbug with B. J. (Matthew Dailey); and Geneva (Gayle Turner), a ringer for Lena Horne, belts out “I Got It Bad” in her indomitable style. The entire cast keeps a fast pace on the lively show.
Though the show lacks much of a plot, The 1940’s Radio Hour is a refreshing holiday musical for the family and a patriotic remembrance to those who serve away from home during Christmastime.
The 1940’s Radio Hour runs through Dec. 23 in the Main Stage Theater at the Arvada Center. Performances are at 7:30 Tues-Sat and Dec. 19; 1 p.m. Wed and 2 p.m. Sat and Sun and Dec. 23.
For tickets: call 720-898-7200 or visit www.arvadacenter.org.
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