Doo Wop harmonies reign supreme out Long Beach way as International Theatre takes audiences on a tuneful trip down memory lane in Life Could Be A Dream, two delightful hours of late-1950s/early ‘60s nostalgia from Roger Bean.

Stringing together a couple dozen Doo Wop hits made famous by artists like Dion, Frankie Lymon, the Reflections, and Gene Chandler with an original, albeit  wispy, plotline, Bean’s quip-filled book has 20something best buds Denny, Eugene, and Wally preparing over the course of an “exciting and eventful week in 1960” to enter (and hopefully win) WOPR Radio’s “Dream Of A Lifetime Talent Search” for the most talented singing group in Springfield U.S.A.

From the moment Denny Varney (Josey Montana McCoy) first hears the question “Do you have the new sound we’re looking for?” from DJ, Ronnie “Bulls-Eye” Miller (a prerecorded David Engel), stars are in our young hero’s eyes and a plan is set in motion to join with best buds Eugene (“Ultimate Loser-Doozer”) Johnson (Hunter Berecochea) and eager-beaver preacher’s son Wally Patton (J. Thomas Miller) in forming Denny And The ___s (blank to be filled in at a later date) and win a one-year recording contract with Bulls-Eye Records.

Hitches begin to pop up from the get-to, beginning with Denny’s off-stage mother’s frequent intercom demands that her son “Get A Job,” a song the trio perform with a trophy sax, a broom handle mike and a tennis racket guitar.

The arrival of edgy local auto mechanic Skip Henderson (Trevor Shor) puts a couple ideas in the boys’ heads. First, that Skip’s boss Big Eddie Franklin would be the perfect person put up the $50 entrance fee. Second, who better to ask the auto shop owner to be their official sponsor than his comely daughter Lois (Marisa Matthews)?

Before long, the radio contest has become “the biggest thing to hit town since the Wonder Bread factory,” Lois is finding herself falling for Skip, and Denny is fuming at the suggestion that the tight-t-shirted mechanic should take over as lead singer of the group that bears his name.

Will the course of true love run smoothly for Lois and Skip? Will Denny and his fellow Dreams be able to put their desire to win the contest above their longing for Lois? What will happen to Skip and the group if Lois’s dad finds out about her romance with one of his employees? And finally, which group will prove victorious in the contest and sign that one-year contract with Bulls-Eye Records?

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to answer these questions, but no matter. With five terrific triple-threats lighting up the ICT stage and two dozen of the catchiest melodies to be heard this or any year filling it with song, the fun is simply getting to Life Could Be A Dream’s mini-concert grand finale.

Jamie Torcellini directs with abundant zest while choreographing boy band moves that would do the best Doo Wop quartet proud (even if it takes Eugene a bit longer than the rest to get in step with the rest).

McCoy anchors the production as the oh so likeable Denny, and just wait till the SoCal fave launches into a soaring “Earth Angel.” Berecochea’s nerd-meets-linebacker Eugene is charismatic and captivating as all get-out with the most heavenly falsetto since Frankie Valli sang “Big Girls Don’t Cry.” Miller’s Wally is not only the son of a preacher man that every girl’s mom would give thumbs up to, his “The Glory Of Love” is quite glorious indeed.

Shor gives Danny Zuko a run for his money as well-toned bad boy Skip, whose “Unchained Melody” is sure to inspire its own swoons, and Matthews not does Sandra Dee proud as ultimate object-of-affection Lois, she’s a luscious-piped lead singer to boot.

Musical director Bill Wolfe on piano, Adolfo Kushelevich on guitar, and Juan Garcia on drums provide pitch-perfect live backup and Dave Mickey an equally fine sound mix.

Production designers Patty and Gordon Briles (resident properties design), Kim DeShazo (resident costume design), Anthony Gagliardi (resident hair and wig design), Donny Jackson (lighting design), and Amanda J. Stuart (scenic design) join creative forces to give Denny And The Dreams a period-perfect look and locale in which to pursue their dreams.

Life Could Be A Dream is produced by ICT artistic director caryn desai. Karen Schleifer is production stage manager and Rachel Rea is assistant stage manager.

Casting is by Michael Donovan, CSA. Richie Ferris is casting associate.

What Roger Bean’s The Marvelous Wonderettes did for late-‘50s girl groups, Life Could Be A Dream does just as marvelously and wonderfully for the boys. It may well end up being the most nostalgic fun you’ll have all year.

International City Theatre, Beverly O’Neill Theatre at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center, 300 E. Seaside Way, Long Beach.
www.InternationalCityTheatre.org

–Steven Stanley
February 22, 2019
Photos: Tracey Roman

Tags: International City Theatre, Los Angeles Theater Review, Roger Bean