Review: FOREVER PLAID at 42nd Street Moon

Stuart Ross’ 1989 jukebox homage to boy bands of the 1950’s is a pleasant whiff of nostalgia sure to remove you from the stress of today’s less naïve and chaotic present. Forever Plaid follows The Plaids, a youthful quartet with stardom in their eyes killed in a car accident in 1964. Like the baseball players in Field of Dreams, they return to perform one final concert and we’re here to bear witness.

Four-part harmonies are the requisite element of this production, and the cast is more than up to the task blending seamlessly when required and each holding their own on the solos. Edu Gonzalez-Maldonado (Jinx), Justin Lopez (Sparky), Kevin Singer (Frankie) and Matt Skinner (Smudge) whole-heartedly embrace their roles as the ‘good guys’ the production is dedicated to: the guys who wheeled the projector carts for the AV club, the guys who carried an extra handkerchief, and saved their allowances to give their parents a special night on the town.

The songs range from 1945’s “Gotta Be This or That” to The Beatle’s 1964 smash “She Love You”. "Moments to Remember" is a 1955 pop song by The Four Lads, a nod to contemporary vocal groups. There’s plenty of humor, some cornball by today’s standards, and of course the syncopated choreography by Britney Monroe. Jinx is prone to nosebleeds and Frankie needs an inhaler. A 3-minute eleven second tribute to The Ed Sullivan Show highlights the novelty acts like plate spinners, seal acts, Topo Gigio (the anthropomorphic mouse), and others.

Most of the material will be unrecognizable to our ears unless you happen to be an aficionado of mid-20th century American pop or happen to be of a certain age. Perry Como’s “Papa Loves Mambo,” Harry Belafonte’s calypso hit “Matilda,” and Tony Bennett’s 1953 hit “Rags to Riches” being the most popular tunes. The cast puts their all into this show and The Plaids achieve their goal of one last perfect chord in the show’s finale of “Love is a Many Splendored Thing.”

Forever Plaid continues through May 5th. Tickets available at https://42ndstmoon.vbotickets.com/event/Forever_Plaid/98260

Photo credit: 42nd Street Moon

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