BWW Interviews: Arena Stage Gives FIVE GUYS NAMED MOE the Boy Band Treatment

Every generation has them. Whether they're called The Beatles, New Kids on the Block, Boyz II Men, 'N Sync or One Direction, boy bands have long been a staple of American pop culture. They're also a staple of Arena Stage's re-imagined production of Five Guys Named Moe which opens this Thursday and is being billed as "big band meets boy band."

Featuring the music of singer-songwriter Louis Jordan, Five Guys Named Moe tells the story of Nomax (Kevin McAllister) who has just been dumped by his girlfriend over his hard-partying lifestyle. Sitting all alone, he's shocked when the Moes jump out of his radio and into his room where they help get his life back in order.

"The show is built in the form of a juke box musical with a story that serves as a thru line," says McAllister. "The Five Guys make Nomax take a hard look at himself and through Louis Jordan's songs, lessons and morals are taught."

While his name may not be familiar to many, Jordan was one of the most popular singer-songwriters of the forties and fifties. Dubbed the "Grandfather of Rock 'N' Roll" by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, his 1949 hit "Saturday Night Fish Fry" is considered the first record of rock and roll.

Five Guys Named Moe first opened in London and later transferred to Broadway where it was nominated for the 1992 Tony Award for Best Musical. Originally the show was set in the forties with older actors playing the roles of the Moes. However, for this production, Director Robert O'Hara told Arena Stage's Meet the Artist Blog that he simply didn't want to do what had been done in the past.

Sheldon Henry plays Big Moe in Arena Stage's revival, and also played No Moe in a previous production of Five Guys Named Moe. He welcomed O'Hara's decision to give the show a more contemporary feel.

"They [the Arena Stage creative team] are certainly giving the show a fresh perspective by going the boy band direction," says Henry. "Normally, the show's done in the period of the forties. But by changing it and giving it a more modern feel I'm able to put more of myself into the show."

The Moes weren't the only aspect of the show to undergo a change. With the approval of Cameron Mackintosh, who produced the original London and Broadway productions, this revival used new orchestrations to re-imagine Jordan's music.

"What's exciting is that with the new orchestrations they have found ways to give the songs a different feeling. For example, a song that may have had a big band feel now has a much slower jazz groove to it," says McAllister. "There's also choreography of every style in this show to match the songs."

Henry adds, "With the modern choreography you really get to see the different personalities of the Moes. You really get to see the influence of the different boy bands and how that comes together with Jordan's music. It's not your typical Five Guys."

Even with all the changes, the emphasis of this production remains focused on Jordan's music. "As an actor, when you're honoring someone who was alive and who existed - you have a duty to understand why their work spoke to so many people," says McAllister. "You can really see with Louis Jordan, his influence from big band and rock all the way to rap and spoken word. It's amazing."

Don't be surprised if you find yourself tapping your toes, clapping your hands and answering callbacks from the stage when Five Guys Named Moe opens on Thursday night. "As Louis Jordan said, 'If the audience doesn't dance to the music, 'I think they're more dead than alive,'" says Henry.

Five Guys Named Moe plays thru December 28th at Arena Stage1101 6th Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20024. For tickets, call (202) 488-3300 or purchase them online.

Photo: Clinton Roane, Sheldon Henry, Travis Porchia, Paris Nix and Jobari Parker-Namdar in Five Guys Named Moe at Arena Stage. Credit: Tony Powell.