For its season premiere, the Blowing Rock Stage Company is blowing open a time capsule guaranteed to send musical shrapnel from the impassioned titular decade straight into the hearts of audience members. The musical romp 8-Track: The Sounds of the 70’s, playing May 23-June 8 at the Hayes Performing Arts Center in Blowing Rock, N.C., features a quartet of singers linking nearly 60 different “tracks” into harmonic scenes for a propulsive, blisteringly paced, nostalgia-laced reunion with a unique slice of pop-rock history.
With 10 years’ worth of tunes from which to choose (some seminal, some wacky, all entertaining), 8-Track: The Sounds of the 70’s isn’t all record-burning disco and polyester, clichés that have become synonymous with the decade. In fact, that entire fad is covered in just under seven minutes in a 13-tune medley (driven by such staples as “We Are Family,” “YMCA” and “Do the Hustle”). The remainder of the revue plays like the world’s biggest K-Tel greatest hits compilation, tapping social consciousness (“What’s Going On,” “Peace Train”), unabashed party anthems (“You Make Me Feel Like Dancing,” “Shake Your Booty”) and emotional catharsis (“I Am Woman,” “Don’t Cry Out Loud”).
Because while the 90-minute revue will certainly galvanize baby boomers, possibly leading to a retail surge in shag carpets, it was also lovingly tailored by Rick Seeber (best known as the producer/long-time director of “Beehive,” a show surrounding the sounds of the 1960s) to stir the emotions of anyone with rhythm and an ear, thereby transcending generations. The music, in other words, is astonishingly diverse: from Elton John’s “Your Song” to “Shake Your Booty,” “You Light Up My Life” to “Lady Marmalade.”
Underscores the show’s director, Melvin Tunstall (You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown), of the show’s multi-generational appeal: “Many of the songs from the seventies were ‘story songs,’ and I think the characters created in the music, like “Brick House,” “YMCA” and “Lady Marmalade,” are legendary, so the songs are also. And frankly, good music will always last!” Plus, he adds, “Many of the popular songs of today ‘sample’ the beats and melodies of the great seventies hits!”
And as with audiences around the country, the mood rings of critics nationwide collectively turned a far-out shade of deep blue: “An infectious, joyous celebration! Hear the tunes, feel the memories, forget reality!” shouted the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “An electric…energetic…powerful good time!” declared The Los Angeles Times. “Superb…first-rate…undeniably infectious!” sang The Denver Post. “Rousing…mesmerizing…rock-solid…downright hilarious!” heralded The Oakland Press (Detroit).
The Stage Company production stars Chris Kent (familiar to local audiences from last season’s Keep on the Sunny Side), his wife Lisa Manuli, making her BRSC debut, Tyson Jeanette and Tonya Thompson, the latter two of whom were recently featured together in a production of The Full Monty.
Performance times for 8-Track: The Sounds of the 70’s are May 23, 28 & 30 and June 4 & 6 at 8pm, May 24, 29 & 31 and June 5 & 7 at 2 & 8pm, May 25 and June 1 & 8 at 2pm. Tickets are $32, $14 students and are available now by calling the Box Office at 828-295-9627. You may pay by credit card or by cash (in person). Tickets can also be purchased online at www.HayesCenter.org by credit card. Special group rates are also available. Season and Flex Passes can be purchased and used throughout the entire '08 season.