Photo Credit Rich Wagner
The singers are Beckie LaBombard, Victoria Mooney, Hillary Ekwall and Rick Fountain
Get out your leotards and tie on some dancing shoes and get thee over to Playhouse on Park in West Hartford by Sunday, April 13 for some energetic and spirited fancy foot moves guaranteed to make for happy feet. Heaven becomes a disco when God commands you to dance. Consider it the eleventh commandment!
Conceived, directed and choreographed by Darlene Zoller, "I'd Rather Be Dancing!" is a delightful tribute to the likes of a Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire and will make you want to take a lesson or three in this wonderful pastime from Arthur Murray. The talented troupe is passionate about their art and they want you to join them in their dedicated pursuit of the art. Think John Travolta and his magic moves and you are ready to trip the light fantastic with these guys and gals, from ages 20 to 50, two even pregnant, who have been practicing for this performance since last October.
God, a demanding Gail D. Schoppert, is really at the helm of heaven directing the proceedings. With his adorable and hard working assistants, angels trying to earn their wings, Hillary Ekwall and Victoria Mooney, God has to decide whether a man (Rick Fountain) deserves to enter the Pearly Gates or be sent way downstairs to visit Satan, Spencer Pond, who claims this role is the best one he's ever done.
The non-stop action is infectious as numbers like "A Wild, Wild Party" start the proceedings and segue to "A Little Party Never Killed Nobody." A man however does bite the dust and finds himself at Heaven's door hoping to be admitted. He needs to redeem himself and prove his worth. He doesn't fare as well as he'd hoped and then has the chance to try the other spectrum in such numbers as "Disco Inferno." In every instance, from well known numbers like "It Don't Mean a Thing" and "Steam Heat," the choreography is top notch and the costumes vibrant and colorful.
If you think a Zumba class is high energy, you haven't seen anything yet like this high stepping powerhouse posse. The angels work so hard that they are awarded their furry appendages in record time. A special tap dance number is executed with supreme skill by special guest Tyler Knowlin.
For tickets ($20-32.50 ), call Playhouse on Park, 244 Park Road, West Hartford at 860-523-59000, ext.10 or online at www.playhouseonpark.org. Performances are Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.
Tap your way up to heaven on the direct stairway with suave and sophisticated steps as the Resident Dance Company of Playhouse on Park leads the way to the Pearly Gates.
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