Lake Dillon Theatre’s outdoor production celebrates tunes of the ’60s with an all-female cast
The Lake Dillon Theatre Company rings in its summer season with groovy hits of the 1960s, via SHOUT! The Mod Musical.
In order to promote safe viewing, the theater presents the musical outdoors, with adequate spacing between parties. You can bring your own chair or snag one from the deck. While the bar is open inside, you’re allowed to bring your own snacks.
Five female performers hit all the high notes of the ’60s, with hits including “To Sir with Love,” “Downtown” and “Goldfinger.” Created by Phillip George and David Lowenstein, SHOUT! takes audiences on a women’s lib journey from aspiring to be a housewife to reaching new heights, both literally and metaphorically.
Most of the songs are sweet and melodic, delivered impeccably by the company. Harmonies soar, and tunes like “Son of a Preacher Man,” sung by Alexa Hendrickson and “You’re My World” by Carrie Lyn Brandon stood out with soul. The ensemble shined in every number, from “I Only Want to Be with You” to the finale of “Shout.”
Caught between being a “Georgy Girl” and “Windy,” Abby Matsusaka plays a very funny awkward girl, while Kenya Hamilton is spectacular as she sings about, and acts the part of, a wife being cheated on. And Abigail Gardner strongly shows, and sings, her sassy, satisfied character.
Between tunes, entertaining and often quite hilarious snippets carry the storyline. Each women has her own dilemma, mostly revolving around love and marriage. They take turns writing into the mod magazine of the day (aptly named “Shout”), asking advice. The musical’s script crackles with humorous commentary on breakthrough birth control, Black Beauty diet pills, skin thinning and more.
But as it turns out, the columnist is quite antiquated; she believes women are solely baby makers, and a manicure or new hairdo can fix everything from a passionless marriage to an abusive one. In the end, the women truly do “Shout,” telling off the columnist they so blindly followed for a decade.
If you love melodic ’60s songs, you’ll love this show, which ends on a high note that the whole audience gets into.
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