A Smiling, Laughing, Toe-Tapping Fun Afternoon in Sierra Madre

THEATRE REVIEW

“Pump Boys and Dinettes” at Sierra Madre Playhouse (Photo – Gina Long).

Escape the heat, do your hair up in your best feathered Farrah Fawcett flip, and go back to the late 70’s/early 80’s with the Pump Boys and Dinettes at the Sierra Madre Playhouse. If you’re lucky, you’ll get picked to be one of the audience members who gets to sit in a booth in the diner on stage and eat pie during the show.

By Carol Edger Germain

This is a lesser known, but just as fun, light musical from that period which included “The Marvelous Wonderettes,” “Forever Plaid,” and Always…Patsy Cline” (which was done at the SMP a few years ago, and starred Cori Cable Kidder, who also stars in this production),

The plot line is light, it is basically a group of young people sharing life, laughs and love as they meet each day at their adjacent businesses, and sometimes at night for fun. The ladies, Prudie Cupp (Emily Kay Townsent) and Rhetta Cupp (Cori Cable Kidder) run their “Double Cupp Diner” and the boys (who are also the band) run the gas station across the way, somewhere on Highway 57 between Georgia and North Carolina. The pump boys/band are Sean Paxton as L.M. (musical director/keyboards), Mike Murray as Jim (guitar), Jimmy Villaflor as Jackson (guitar), Kevin Tiernan as Eddie (bass), and Jim Miller as Bobby (drums). Although Kidder’s surprise tap dance and Murray’s vocals and stage presence are standouts, I have to say that every person in the show was very talented, a cohesive ensemble with no weak links, which was necessary to infuse a full-bodied production into a minimalist plot line.

Pump Boys and Dinettes play at the Sierra Madre Playhouse (Photo – Gina Long).

Allison Bibicoff brings it all together with her directing and choreography. The music is country-rock, there are 20 original songs, and they are all clever, engaging, and keep the audience smiling and tapping their feet. “The Night Patsy Cline Was Almost Mine” reached the country charts. One of my favorites was “Be Good or Be Gone.”

Escape the reality of the times and party with the Pump Boys and Dinettes for an afternoon or evening! And be sure to plan lunch or dinner at one of the local establishments, lots of tasty choices.

Pump Boys and Dinettes
• Directed by Allison Bibicoff
Musical Director Sean Paxton
Set Design Jeff Rack
Sound Design Todd McCraw and Matthew Shane
Lighting Design Derek Jones
Costume design Angela Nicholas
• Cast:
Cori Cable Kidder, Emily Kay Townsend, Sean Paxton, Mike Murray, Jimmy Villaflor, Kevin Tiernan, and Jim Miller.
Sierra Madre Playhouse
87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre, CA 90039
Free parking behind the playhouse.
• Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, Sundays at 2:30 pm, through August 12.
$25- $45 (also check goldstar.com and other discount sites)
Purchase here.