Courtesy of Theatre Kansas
STERLING, Kan. — “Forever Plaid” celebrates the magic of music in Sterling this upcoming weekend at the Sterling High School Betsy Dutton Theater June 14, 15 and 16th.
“Nothing on this planet compares to the feeling of being inside a good tight chord. We hold on to that last note - a perfect chord - one perfect moment! That’s all anyone has the right to ask for.” Those are the words of Frankie, the lead singer in the singing quartet known as “The Plaids.”
That sentiment is shared by the four actual cast members playing “The Plaids” in the musical Forever Plaid which is being presented by the Sterling Community Theatre Troupe on Friday and Saturday, June 14 and 15 at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, June 16 at 2:00 p.m. in Sterling.
The show celebrates the music and friendship along with moments of perfection and magic, particularly the experience of being in sync with others to create a perfect chord.
Forever Plaid is the story of four high schoolers who formed their own singing group and were preparing to really “hit it big” when they were killed in a car crash before ever having the chance. This show is their return to earth to get their one chance at their “big break.”
The musical makes a feast of the lush harmonies of “golden oldies” with songs such as "Three Coins in the Fountain," "Moments to Remember," "Sixteen Tons," "Chain Gang," "Heart and Soul," "Lady of Spain," "Shangri-La," "Rags to Riches," and of course, "Love is a Many-Splendored Thing."
The Sterling quartet in “Plaid” already have the chemistry of four buddies down because they are. Luke Harding, Caleb Brownlee, Noah Svaty – all are Sterling High School alumni. The fourth is Robbie Stansbury, from Lyons High School. All four have been close friends through their experiences in music and theatre at Sterling College.
They started singing Barbershop music on their own over a year ago and discovered Forever Plaid about the same time. Harding said, “We all absolutely love harmonies. When I found out there was an entire show centered around a singing male quartet, I knew we needed to do it.”
Brownlee said, “The tight knit four person chords that grow and shrink and the precise choreography and comedy make this show uniquely enjoyable. Plus, all our voices blend well together, and our shared bond is beyond acting. That connection will come through on stage.”
Svaty adds, “There’s just something magical about singing these tight harmonies with this group of guys. We try to savor every moment. It’s something we will all remember fondly, and we hope our audiences will, too.”
“This is definitely their show,” said Dennis Dutton, Director of the Sterling Community Theatre Troupe. “They came to me last fall and asked about doing it through the Troupe. They are taking the leadership. They have divided roles. Luke is music director and is doing the blocking (stage movement), Noah is handling the choreography and the set/lighting design, Caleb is handling props and Robbie publicity. They love the music, they love the show, they love performing together. This will be a great production for everyone who sees it, I’m sure.”
The show emphasizes music and comedy. Brownlee said, “There is a lot of humor in the show but also lots of growth between characters. Packing 20 songs into 90 minutes makes sure that there are no moments that are barren. Younger generations, such as us, will enjoy this show for the personality of the characters and the precision of song and movement.”
“With the names of the characters making up ‘The Plaids’ - Frankie, Smudge, Jinx, and Sparky you can tell this is an incredibly sweet, slightly nerdy group of guys,” Dutton said. “Though most of the tunes are about love, in that innocent pre-rock 'n' roll way and is light-hearted, there are some songs that are deeper than others. Then they turn around and use plumbers helpers in place of microphones since they were used to rehearsing it in the back of Smudge’s family hardware store."
Stansbury said, “This show has established a camaraderie that I have not experienced in other shows. There are only four guys on stage, and each actor must work to enhance the quartet's sound and appearance - for the quartet's sake, not their own. It is much more of a team effort than a personal one. A Plaid takes care of his fellow Plaid!”
The foursome is making plans to take the show “on the road” – all the way to Alaska. Harding said, “I was born in Alaska, and I go back to my hometown of Cordova every summer. I've brought all three of these guys to Cordova at some point, and they all loved it. We wanted an excuse to get back there, all together. Plus, they don't get a lot of things like this in Cordova, but the town loves the arts. So, I think it will be something we really can bless the city with. We’re all super excited to take it to that community.”
Tickets for the Sterling production of Forever Plaid are $15.00 for adults and $5.00 for students and will be available at the door before each performance June 14, 15, and 16.