“Dames at Sea” at Sierra Madre Playhouse (Photo – Gina Long)
Spend a hot summer afternoon or evening at the cool Sierra Madre Playhouse (SMP) enjoying this homage to the ’30s and ’40s musicals where the whole point was to fill the stage with singing, dancing, romance, camp, humor, and perfectly timed coincidences and plot twists to make the sometimes implausible story line flow so the physical talent can be showcased.
By Carol Edger Germain
SMP has successfully staged a big show on a small stage (effectively including the theater aisles as part of the set) and our senses are delighted with the impressive tap-dancing skills, comedic timing, and vocal talent that bring it all together. Ruby, fresh off the bus from Utah with only tap shoes in her suitcase and dreams of becoming a Broadway star in her heart. The universe smiles on her and she gets immediately cast in a show. However, the theater is closing, the show has no venue, and for a split second all is lost. But the universe steps in again, and sailors and their captain (also talented performers as luck would have it), bend the rules and produce the show on their ship. Oh! I almost forgot – the lead singer/dancer of course is semi-incapacitated due to sea sickness, so Ruby moves quickly from dancer to star.
And from there it is nonstop tap-dancing (seriously impressive), strong singing voices, quirky tunes, campy humor, sweet romantic interludes (the show is suitable for all ages) and lots of smile-inducing dialogue and lyrics.
Marissa Mayer and Ruben Bravo at “Dames at Sea” (Photo – Gina Long)
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