"Plaid Tidings" at Artistry

What's better than a '60s boy band with men in sharp suits singing tight harmonies and performing smart choreography? When the suits are plaid, or Christmas cardigans, and the music is accompanied by comedy. I had never seen any rendition of the popular jukebox musical Forever Plaid, or its holiday* sequel Plaid Tidings, until seeing Artistry's production of the latter yesterday. I found it to be utterly delightful, and surprisingly poignant as it ends in a rumination on the fleeting nature of life, the afterlife, and the joys of being together at the holidays. Featuring a fantastic cast of four that is a musical and comedy dream team, and direction by Church Basement Ladies' Greta Grosch with her signature zany humor with heart, Plaid Tidings is, in a world, heaven. The Plaids will perform in Bloomington, Earth through December 28. Weekends are already selling out, with greater availability on weeknights and the weekend after Christmas.

The premise of the original Forever Plaid is that after a semi-professional male harmony group is killed in a tragic car accident in 1964, they're given one night to perform on earth before returning to the afterlife. In Plaid Tidings, they're given one more night on earth, this time to perform their dreamed-of-but-never-realized TV holiday special. Only it takes them a little while (and some helpful hints from the likes of Rosemary Clooney) to figure out that that's what they need to do. So they spend a little time singing a bunch of other songs, and going down the wrong road from the hints (hilariously so). But eventually, we get to the holiday special, and it's just as funny, nostalgic, charming, and musically satisfying as those TV holiday specials of the last century.

Cole Strelecki, Nate Turcotte, Cris Sanchez, and Theo Janke-Furman
(photo by Alyssa Kristine)

Our four Plaids - Theo Janke-Furman, Cris Sanchez, Cole Strelecki, and Nate Turcotte - are all individually talented (we get solos from each), with harmonies that blend together like a dream. They're also all very funny in their interactions and rapport with each other, and we get to know each of the guys as individuals in addition to the group persona. Singing some three dozen songs (sometimes just a brief snippet), I don't think they left a pre-1964 holiday song unsung, with some interesting and unique arrangements of some of the songs (arrangements by James Raitt, Brad Ellis, Raymond Berg, and David Snyder). They're accompanied by the jazziest of instrumentations - piano (music director Bradley Beahen) and upright bass (Dustin Skenandore), who get to interact with the guys a little and be part of the show. Bradley's entrance sets the tone for the show, with a mid-show comedy bit that allows for some fun variations on the music.

The show is really well-staged by director Greta Grosh and choreographer Michael Terrell Brown in Artistry's black box space, which allows for a more intimate feel as the guys speak directly to us, walk up and down the aisle, and even ask for a little participation. The choreography is a fun spin on the classic guy group moves, fresh and varied. They perform against a black backdrop with a tinsel curtain over the center proscenium, and side panels with a fun Act II reveal. The many Christmas props enhance each number, handed to them by the silver-gloved hand of a stagehand. The Ed Sullivan Show montage is a particularly fast-paced and impressive number as the guys reenact many of the famous acts from that show. And yes, they are wearing matching Christmas-colored plaid jackets, changing to cozy Christmas cardigans for Act II, each slightly different, with colored ties (scenic and props design by Katie Phillips, costume design by Jessica McHugh).

Plaid Tidings is a great choice for some nostalgic holiday fun with great music, comedy, and heart. Allow a little extra time to shop the "Gifts in the Gallery" in Bloomington Center for the Arts.

*Click here for reviews of all of the holiday shows I've seen this year.