EMA Review: THE ANDREW BROTHERS Scrumptious ★★★★
- Erik Engman
- 20 hours ago
- 3 min read
By Erik Engman
Author, Clown and Improvisation Teacher, Theatre Critic, EatMoreArtVegas.com
IG: ErikReviewsVegas
It’s the South Pacific, March of 1945, and brothers Max, Patrick, and Lawrence Andrews are putting on a U.S.O show featuring the sassy performer Peggy Jones and the famous Andrews Sisters! But tragedy strikes, and the show is in danger of being canceled… unless they come up with a crazy solution! This is the setting for Super Summer Theatre and Rearview Vegas Entertainment's production of The Andrew Brothers, written and created by Rodger Bean. And I have to tell you, this was a fun, heart-warming, silly musical that had me smiling from beginning to end.
Director Courtney Sheets takes us to World War II by way of movies like White Christmas (minus the Christmas), Hope & Crosby’s Road to… pictures, and Some Like It Hot, where we get two hours of whimsical shenanigans, glorious singing and dancing, cross-dressing, and a perfectly fine love story. The pacing and timing in this show are perfect, the jokes and gags land, and you find yourself rooting for these knuckleheads and the brassy singer to save the day. All of this to a couple dozen songs straight from that era, most of them by the Andrews Sisters, naturally. (Yes, including their hits like “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.”)
The cast is surprisingly small, with only four players, but they carried the show with aplomb and gave it their all. Ben Rich as Max Andrews, the responsible brother; Jude Garcia as Patrick Andrews, the lovestruck, asthmatic brother; and Daniel Vaughn as Lawrence Andrews, the goofy, hilarious brother, all shone as they sang, danced, and pranced around, both as the brothers and as the Andrews Sisters. They were incredibly charming to no end. But the person who stole the show for me was Juliana Kelly as Peggy Jones, the singer looking for her big break. Her performance was magnificent as both the small-town girl and the strong, seasoned performer. The way she belted out those songs is something to behold. She’s a rare, breathtaking talent.
The choreography (by Rommel Pacson) was superb, and brought me back to those old films I mentioned above. The singing (directed by Music Director Dolly Coulter) was on point, with harmonies that will knock your socks off. And hats off to Lighting Designer Ginny Adams, who gave us the feeling like we were really at a U.S.O show.
This show’s plot is extremely simple. There is no antagonist (except maybe the chicken pox), and the second act is more like a concert than a musical. But, you know, this show was fun. So much fun that you don’t notice those other things, and a script like this could have been easily bogged down by over-complicated situations. But as it is, this is a wonderful production with spectacular performances of time-honored music under the stars in the cooler mountain air. And if you’re one of those people who don’t know the Andrews Sisters music, then you are in for a treat! Heck, I want to go back just to see “Six Jerks in a Jeep.” So go check this show out, and when it’s done you’ll leave with a happy feeling in your heart. I sure did.
What: The Andrew Brothers
When: 8:05 pm, Thursday through Saturday, August 5 through August 22
Where: Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, 6375 NV-159, Blue Diamond, NV 89004
Tickets (including fees): GA $28, VIP Chair $84, VIP blanket for two $182, VIP blanket for four $360. State Park entrance Fee: $10
RATING: Scrumptious ★★★★
Director: Courtney Sheets; Dance Choreographer: Rommel Pacson; Music Director: Dolly Coulter; Lighting Designer: Ginny Adams; Stage Manager: Luci Valencia; Set Builder: Ben Loewy; Wig Designer: Wigs by Gingerella.