Tuesday, December 10, 2013

PLAID TIDINGS ARE COLORING THE HOLIDAYS




The new Christmas colors are no longer just red and green, they're plaid.  That's due to the extraordinary influence of those four high school nerds who ended up the musical heroes of "Forever Plaid."  The guys are back, this time dressed in holiday garb, ready to sing in heavenly harmony in "Plaid Tidings: A Special Holiday Edition of Forever Plaid," with book by Stuart Ross.

Hop on a sleigh and jingle your way to the Warner Theatre in Torrington for this delightful holiday festival of sound until Sunday, December 15.  Grab a cup of eggnog  and get ready to sip and settle back for your favorite Christmas tunes. Jinx, Smudge, Sparky and Frankie get a phone call in heaven from Rosemary Clooney of all people, inviting them back to earth from their angelic home.  Apparently the world is in desperate need of their marvelous music and it's more than time for another posthumous performance.

You may or may not remember that the boys, high schoool buddies, were killed on the way to a big concert.  Now they are being summoned back to earth but they are not sure why.  As thunder crashes, they find themselves in front of an audience and they decide to do what they do best: sing.  Since it's Christmas and Chanukah and Kwanza, a holiday concert seems to be called for and they happily oblige.

Follow the red and green plaid carpet to Torrington where a rousing rendition of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" will set off the festivities.  Soon the guys will be hyperventilating, having nose bleeds and asthma attacks just like in the good old days. Rosemary Clooney will continue to drop heavenly clues until the boys realize the mission they are on:  to provide Christmas cheer to a world in need.  Soon the stage is dressed in festive finery and the boys have a holiday makeover too.  Songs like "Carol of the Bells" and "Joy to the World" ring out. Perry Como and Ed Sullivan even get into the act and the audience is invited to sing along.  With a rousing rendition of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," the boys return to heaven, their mission of merriment, mirth and music completed.

For tickets ($26), call the Warner Theatre, 68 Main Street, Torrington at 860-489-7180 or online at www.warnertheatre.org.  Performances are Friday, December 13 at 8 p.m., Saturday, December 14 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, December 15 at 2 p.m.

Come hear Frankie (Ian Diedrich), Sparky (Bret Bisaillon), Jinx (Meric Martin) and Smudge (Dan Porri) as the Guardians of Harmony, under the angelic direction of Sharon A. Wilcox, with musical direction by Aaron J. Bunel, descend from heaven for your listening pleasure.

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