The Marvelous Wonderettes (brilliantly conceived and directed by Roger
Bean) tells the story (often hilarious) of four high school best friends who sing 50s
hits and joke, fight, laugh, feud, and make up with each other…repeatedly
through the course of two magical hours at the prom. It features a seemingly
limitless medley of song hits enacted by four of the brightest gems of L.A.
musical theater: Kirsten Chandler, Kim Huber, Julie Dixon Jackson, and Bets
Malone.  Chandler is the very lovely (and full of herself) Cindy Lou, Huber is shy
but big voiced Missy, Jackson is spunky/feisty Betty Jean, and Malone is
delightfully ditzy Suzy. Costumed to perfection by Sharrell Martin and dancing
to the retro moves of choreographer Janet Miller with rich musical
accompaniment by musical director Allen Everman II, the fantastic four return
in Act 2 ten years older (and somewhat wiser) to sing  unforgettable 60s hits.
Wait till you see the changes those 10 years have wrought! With standing
ovations for each performance, you can be sure that these Marvelous
Wonderettes will be around for a long long time.

El Portal Forum Theatre, 5269 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood. Through
March 30.  Thursdays & Fridays, Saturdays at 8:00pm, Sundays at 2:00pm
Tickets: 888-505-SHOW (7469) or www.marvelouswonderettes.com
or www.TIX.com. 

--Steven Stanley
   October 7, 2006

 Wonderettes Photo: Michael Lamont

Marvelous Wonderstudies Lowe Taylor, Leslie Spencer Smith,
Kara Shaw, and Stephanie Wall

I’ve just paid a return visit to the Marvelous Wonderettes an amazing 16
months after my initial reviews. What a great success story these four gals
have been for L.A. musical theater! The show is still going strong with no
end in sight.  There have been occasional temporary cast changes.  Misty
Cotton and Jill Van Velzer were a stellar Missy and Cindy Lou in Winter
Wonderettes, and the divine Tami Tappan Damiano appeared briefly last
year as Missy. (Missed her shows!)  So did the adorable Beth Malone, the
original original Betty Lou, in the role of Cindy Lou. (Missed those too!) Last
Thursday, three of the always in demand stars (Kirsten Chandler, Kim
Huber, and Bets Malone) happened to have the night off, so the
sensational Julie Dixon Jackson (Betty Lou) was surrounded by three of the
Wonderstudies, and the audience rewarded them all with a deserved
standing ovation.  No wonder.  Word is that there hasn’t been a
performance yet without the entire El Portal Forum Theater on their feet.

Star on the rise Lowe Taylor, who has won raves for her work at the Chance
Theater in Into The Woods and Sunday In The Park With George is an
absolute delight at gum-chewing Suzy.  (Taylor is the only actress ever to
have played all four roles!) Kara Shaw (who took a brief Wonderstudy
hiatus to appear to great reviews in Love Sweet Love) does smashing work
as Missy, upping the dork factor all the while singing like an angel.  Finally
there’s the cute and charming Stephanie Wall, having a ball as the vain
and vivacious Cindy Lou, and flirting with at least one member of the
audience.  (Cindy Lou whispered to me that I was handsome!)  So,
whether you happen to catch the four actresses whose faces adorn the
cover of your program, or one of their wonderful Wonderstudies, you’re in
for a marvelously wonderful time.

--Steven Stanley
     February 7, 2008