Review: FOREVER PLAID, PLAID TIDINGS is the perfect celebration for your holiday season!

 

FOREVER PLAID, PLAID TIDINGS

By Stewart Ross

Directed by Mary Gilbreath Grim

Music Directed by Hans Grim

Choreographed by Kelly McCain

Produced by Lyric Stage 

Audience Rating: PG

Running Time: 2 hours with a 15 minute intermission

Accessible Seating: Available. Entrance to building uses an alternate ramp. Please call ahead for arrangements.

Hearing Devices: Available

Sensory Friendly Showing: Not Available

ASL Showing: Not Available

Sound Level: Comfortable volume. May be loud for some patrons

Noises and Visuals to Prepare For: Flashing lights and sounds of thunder. Audience Interaction. 

Reviewed by Natalie Shaw

If you’re like me (and most people,) you love the holiday season! But, living in the south, where the warmer weather occasionally sticks around a little too long, can make it hard to get into the holiday spirit. Watching nostalgic movies, listening to Christmas music and decorating for the season are all good ways to help, but nothing gets you more into the Christmas spirit than being among friends and family and enjoying a festive celebration! Lyric Stage’s Forever Plaid, Plaid Tidings is the high energy gathering you need to set the holidays on the right track!

With a little encouragement from the heavenly Rosemary Clooney, the four “Guardians of Harmony”-- Sparky (Daniel Hernandez,) Francis (Anthony Ortega,) Smudge (Ben Meaders,) and Jinx (Shane Duckett) serenade us into the season with a meshed-up Christmas Carol Canon, Christmas classics like “Let It Snow,” and “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” along with audience favorite Doo-wop songs from the 1950s-1960s era and a three-minute-and-eleven-second Ed Sullivan special that features Alvin and The Chipmunks, The Vienna Boys Choir and The Rockets. The beloved Perry Como even makes a surprise cameo visit in this heartfelt musical comedy!

Hernandez, Ortego, Meaders and Duckett provide sensational harmonies and strong vocals as their fun-loving (but sometimes stubborn) quirky characters. Uniquely intimate moments from Meaders’ Smudge and Ortega’s Francis, equipped with solos, give us an exclusive look on their experiences as young singers with big dreams, who long to feel loved and included.

Director Gilbreath Grim and Choreographer McCain make creatively exceptional use of a colorful and glittery, (but relatively basic) set design in their staging and dance numbers. Music Director/Comedian Grim gives an outstanding performance on the piano with his cozy band. Moreover, cleverly pleasant lighting and sound, handsome costumes, along with moments of fun audience interaction makes Plaid Tidings, a wonderful experience overall! (I personally reveled being a "belle" of the show--a merry memory, indeed!) 

As a producing theater, Lyric Stage offers a comfortable and picturesque experience for its theatre-goers, and Forever Plaid, Plaid Tidings is the perfect event to kick off your holiday celebrations this year! Grab your tickets lyricstage.org and get there! Plaid Tidings runs through December 22. 

Y'all Enjoy! 

Natalie

(L-R) Daniel Hernandez as Sparky, Shane Duckett as Jinx, Anthony Ortega as Francis and Ben Meaders as Smudge.