One-hit wonders drive a rollicking ride through the decades
Stage West's holiday show One Hit Wonders is a full-throttle trip down memory lane.
The nine cast members cover 57 songs that were mega hits only to dwarf, halt or even destroy the careers of the artists or groups that released them.
It's such great fun revisiting these songs, especially in the revue format that Howard Pechet and Tim French created to showcase them. The songs have been grouped into categories such as Eccentric '80s Wonders, Rock & Roll Wonders and Disco Wonders. Female artists get their tributes in Early Wonder Women and Two-hit Wonder Women.
French, who also staged and choreographed the revue, takes a tongue-in-cheek approach to the material by emphasizing the styles of dancing some of these songs inspired and also recreating the signature moves of the artists and groups.
With the invaluable help of costume designer Benjamin Toner, French zeros in on the fashions inspired by certain genres like disco and together they recreate the looks of such heavy rock groups as Twisted Sister. Toner goes all out for Falco's Rock Me Amadeus, putting the entire cast in 18th-century costumes.
French and Toner also have fun with Novelty Hit Wonders, especially for Bobby Boris Pickett's Monster Mash where they surround Andrew Mcgillvray's Doctor Frankenstein with his creature, a mummy and Dracula. It's all about making the show as much a treat for the eyes as it is for the ears.
Because of Toner's excellent wigs, you'd be forgiven if you thought the show features 10 women and not just four.
One Hit Wonders boasts an outstanding ensemble as tireless and energetic as they are talented so it speaks volumes for Lee Siegel that he can stop the show with his renditions of Billy Paul's Me and Mrs. Jones, Norman Greenbaum's Spirit in the Sky and Hozier's Take Me to Church. He has a dynamic stage presence to match his powerful voice.
Connor Meek gets to show off his falsetto in David Seville's Witch Doctor and his mellow tones for Magic's powerful ballad Rude while Danny Gullekson gets to step out for his cover of DNCE'S Cake by the Ocean. Seth Zosky has a great moment with Canadian Daniel Powter's You Had a Bad Day.
The group's comedian is Mcgillivray who turns up the laugh factor for Wild Cherry's Play that Funky Music and Right Said Fred's I'm Too Sexy.
Alyssa Curto has a show-stopping moment with Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart and delivers an excellent version of Lynn Anderson's I Never Promised You a Rose Garden. Kamal Amanda offers a beautiful tribute to Irene Cara with Flashdance and Fame and Hannah Smart shows why Carly Rae Jepsen's Call Me Maybe is still popular 10 years after its release. Smart, like Jeannie C. Riley, really socks it to the Harper Valley PTA. There is such heart-wrenching angst in Michelle Yu's version of Leona Lewis's Bleeding Love.
Konrad Pluta and his band pour as much love into these songs as the performers and Sean D. Ellis's video screen gives the finishing touch to a show that just wants to have fun and delivers on the promise for two hours.