Life Could Be A Dream

What do three nerds in high-water pants and striped shirts, a cool guy who wears leather pants and leather boots, and a teen angel in bobby socks all have in common?  Add in the classic tunes of the 1960’s doo-wop, a dose of hilarity and you have the Oregon Cabaret Theater’s production of Life Could Be A Dream.  For those of you who were fortunate enough to see last season’s The Marvelous Wonderettes, you’ll remember the Crooning Crabcakes, the all-boy singing group banned from senior prom. Well, they’re back and they’re determined to make it big! 

Photo Credit:  Oregon Cabaret Theater

Denny (Kyle Smith) and his pal Eugene (Garrett Deagon) are seeing stars and longing for fame as a singing duo when they hear the radio announcement for the Big Whopper Radio contest to find the next great singing group and from there the hilarity ensues as they sing and dance their way to the contest.  Along the way they agree to let Wally (Chris Chiles), the local minister’s son into the group which has now gone from duo to trio, because he knows someone who can help the group.  Next they need a sponsor and they turn to the owner of the local auto shop who sends his lead mechanic, Skip (Devon Stone) to see if the boys have any talent.  And of course, Lois (Heather Gault) the auto shop owner’s daughter tags along. 

Lois loves Skip, Eugene pines for Lois, Denny wants, “Denny and The Dreamers” (and he wants his mother to stop nagging him to get a job), Wally is just along for the ride and Skip, well Skip is the one with the real talent but he’s from the wrong side of the tracks.  Three days and counting until the big contest and the boys are out of sync and out of tune but remain optimistically enthusiastic.  It all sets the stage for a great night of song, dance and comedy not to be missed.

Written and created by Roger Bean, directed by Christopher George Patterson and with the musical direction of Erik Daniells, Life Could Be A Dream is in fact a dream of a show.  Classic hits such as Sh Boom, Tears On My Pillow, Earth Angel, Lonely Teardrops and The Glory of Love are among the twenty-three hits performed in the two-act show.  With just three weeks to rehearse, the five-member cast is perfect in their roles and Garrett Deagon as Eugene nearly steals the show with his gangly long legs and comedic timing, but they are all perfectly cast and truly gifted actors/singers.    

For show times and reservations, please contact OCT at www.oregoncabaret.com. 

*Published on The Rogue Valley Messenger 06-26-12.