‘Forever Plaid’ Opens Round Barn Season
NAPPANEE — A Round Barn Theatre revival of the Off-Broadway smash, “Forever Plaid,” will open Amish Acres Round Barn Theatre at Nappanee’s 2016 “New To Me,” season on Wednesday, April 13. This revue will transport Round Barn audiences to the 1960s when classic barbershop harmonies and pitch-perfect melodies still ruled the airwaves.
Once upon a time, there were four guys who discovered their shared love for music, and then got together to become their idols – The Four Freshman, The Hi-Lo’s and The Crew Cuts.Rehearsing in the basement of Smudge’s family’s plumbing supply company they became Forever Plaid. On the way to their first big gig, The “Plaids” car is slammed broadside by a school bus and they are killed instantly. It is at the moment when their careers and lives end, that the story of “Forever Plaid” begins. It is a guaranteed smash with its program of beloved songs and delightful patter that keeps audiences rolling in the aisles when they’re not humming along to some of the great nostalgic pop hits of the 1950s, including “Three Coins in a Fountain,” “Sixteen Tons,” “Chain Gang,” “Heart and Soul” and “Rags to Riches.”
“Forever Plaid” opened Off-Broadway in 1990, before spawning countless regional and iInternational productions, as well as the holiday sequel, “Plaid Tidings.” Twenty-six years later, it has grown into one of the most popular and successful shows in recent memory. Originally produced on the Joseph Stein Stage in 2006, the RBT Revival will be directed and choreographed by RBT Alumni and perennial leading man, Joe Ford. Ford directed the 2015 Second Stage Production of “Doubt,” and is making his directorial debut on the main stage. The production will feature returning RBT Alumni Rory Dunn, most recently seen as Richard Hannay in the Second Stage Production of The “39 Steps,” and Carl Glenn, who was last seen in the Ensemble of “Mary Poppins” during the 2015 season. They will be joined by newcomers Danny Heeter, Brett Mutter and will be music directed by Paul Rigano, also making his RBT debut.
“Forever Plaid” opens on Wednesday, April 13, and continues through Sunday, May 22, with 2 p.m. matinees and 8 p.m. evening performances. A complete show schedule, ticket availability, and reservations can be found by calling the box office at (800) 800-4942 extension 2 or online at AmishAcres.com.
Following “Forever Plaid” and running in repertory with the 30th anniversary of “Plain and Fancy” will be “All Shook Up,” “Crazy for You” and “Fiddler on the Roof.” Fall Harvest Days will bring the Tony Award winning drama, “The Miracle Worker”to the Joseph Stein Stage, and for the Holidays, everyone’s favorite “festive” indulgence,” A Christmas Story,”
Amish Acres Historic Farm & Heritage Resort is now open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.