Pump Boys And Dinettes is the kind of show that you pretty much have to
enjoy. A Broadway hit two decades ago, and the launching point for the careers
of Cass Morgan and Debra Monk, it’s filled with catchy numbers, and a goofy
down-home sense of humor.
There's not a whole lot of plot
to it; it's essentially a series of country & western songs held together
by the anecdotes of the folk who work at a roadside diner/gas station. It's
equal parts a celebration of Americana, and a gentle parody of redneck culture
(it first hit Broadway in 1982, when “The Dukes of Hazard” was the second most
popular show on TV).
The four good old boys who man
the gas station call themselves the Pump Boys, and the two sassy gals who run the
diner are the Dinettes. They tell stories of their simple, Middle American
lives, and sing songs about such things as fishing, life on the highway, and
their love for Dolly Parton. A loose plot involving the various romances
between the characters gives a bit of structure to the show (plus a running gag
about “Uncle Bob”’s RV), but all that is just to provide the characters with
excuses to sing. This is just fine, since there are quite a few memorable songs
in the show, especially the one called “The Night Dolly Parton Was Almost Mine.”
The up-and-coming theatre
company, Ground Up Productions, gave it a good turn. There was an excellent
cast, and high production values, with a good sense of professionalism. They
designed a darn spiffy set (un-credited), which is cluttered with authentic
junk that might very well have been found at a roadside gas station (the piano
itself was disguised as a broken-down car, with a pair of old tires on the
sides, and a rusty bumper facing the audience). There was even an old gas pump
on the stairway leading up to the theatre. The costumes were right on the spot,
too, with the dinettes in tacky pink waitress uniforms, and the Pump Boys in
blue-collar gas station uniforms (with their names embroidered on the pocket.
There was an all-around great
cast, including Franklin Golden,
Zeb Holt, Michael Hicks, and Mitch Rothrock as
the Pump Boys, and Kate Middleton and Amy Heidt as the Dinettes. The cast also played all the music for
the show, with the Pump Boys on guitar, piano, and accordion; plus a cowbell
(“More Cowbell!”), and the Dinettes providing percussion.
Direction by Laura Standley (With “Directing
Consultant” Adam Gerdts) brought out
the Middle-American charm of the piece. There’s a lot of audience interaction
in the piece, so keeping these Red State folk likable is vital, and was
perfectly accomplished in this production. The Pump Boys’ instruments occupied
most of the stage, leaving only a small playing space, but Standley managed to
squeeze a lot of activity on that stage.
Pump Boys and& Dinettes doesn't get produced in New York as often as it ough
to be, and this production was certainly something to see for anyone looking
for a down-home good time.
Book: 1/Music: 2/Lyrics: 2
Directing: 2
Acting: 2
Set: 2
Costumes: 1
Lighting/Sound: 1
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Copyright 2006 Charles Battersby