BEHIND THE CURTAIN - Pop Goes America, Musical Revue

Being a theatre director and producer, I always thought I understood the work that goes into making a musical revue. I assumed this was acting just with the addition of dance and song. But you know what they say about the word assume.

Sitting in the audience at Carrollwood Players Theatre during the rehearsals of Pop Goes America leading up to tech week, watching the effort that goes into perfectly coordinating 15 performers of all ages and levels of experience on a small wooden stage, I couldn’t be more wrong.

Starring Allan T Anderson, Derek Baxter, Kaedin Cammerari, Michael C de Baca, Joel Ferrer, Taylor Hendershot, Rae Hoggatt, Deb Kelley, Georgia Kosloski, Crystal Marie, Chris McDermott, Chonesty Montgomery, Ronni Moses, Erin Ruska, Chelsie Camaro Smith, and Topher Warren, the show features new and returning faces to CWP Black Box.

These volunteers are having a great time, despite the perspiration that dots their brow. It’s fun, it’s a surrogate family, and it’s a lot of hard work, despite how easy the cast makes it look.

During the late hours of tech week next week, Tynan Pruett, stage manager will longer help with forgotten or flubbed lines or lyrics or missed steps. It’s sink or swim. Do or die trying.

Pop Goes America, written by local playwright Jim Russell, features 25 original lyrics applied to popular music. Twenty-five songs to memorize are coupled with 23 scenes with multiple dance numbers with intricate, perfectly-synced moves within the routine. It’s not just one and done. I don’t know how the performers can remember every step, dip, turn, pirouette. It’s incredible watching their transformation each night from teacher, hair stylist, high school and middle students, amusement park vocalist, science recruiter, massage therapist, designer, marketeer, etc. into the succinct talent that fits like a puzzle on stage.

Watching director and choreographer Drew Eberhard gracefully demonstrate the fluidity of the requested movement is both mesmerizing and flawless. He takes the cast through the motions of the scene and they parrot a performance back. I’m wistful that I never learned to dance. Pleased he moves behind a keyboard to join guitarist Michael Moses and percussionist Israel Rivera and begins the live music that will accompany the revue. Involved in all aspects of breathing life into Jim’s words, he and his team of John Cammareri, Chelsie, and Marc Blander transforms his set vision from pen sketch on paper to wood and paint and gives his cast a beautiful colorful, patriotic canvas.

Maybe I’m a bit biased because I’m part of the production team for this show, but what Drew, the cast and musicians created is magic, exactly what we need in today’s volatile climate. We need to remember where we came from, look how far we come and understand the importance of unity in these trying times.

From a lighted set to voices that give you goosebumps to dance moves that look exhausting from this seat, Pop Goes America has set the bar high for future Black Box musical revue performances. Even if you are not a history buff, there’s so much more than history in this show. There’s heart and soul. I only hope you will take my word and allow yourself be transported, if only for a few hours.

Pop Goes America - American History Musical Revue is Friday and Saturday at
8pm and Sunday at 3pm at Carrollwood Players' The CWP Black Box on June 29-July 1. Tickets are $10. For show information, visit www.carrollwoodplayers.org.