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PHOTO COURTESY OF PARADISE THEATRE

HIGH SPIRITS. Everyone in the cast of “Swinging On A Star” gives their all to make for a lively and very fun night of theatre featuring music by the great Johnny Burke. The show plays through July 6 at Paradise Theatre in Gig Harbor.

Johnny Burke comes to life in Gig Harbor musical

By Meghan Erkkinen

Paradise Theatre’s presentation of “Swinging on a Star” is sometimes comical, sometimes sad, but always a blast. The show weaves together the music of lyricist Johnny Burke, one of the most popular lyric writers from the 1920s through the 1950s.

This show is way more than a concert. It features seven different cast members – three men and four women – who perform in a collection of scenes, which each contain a few of Burke’s most popular songs. When the actors shift scenes, their characters change, and so does the setting and the mood.

The first scene opens in a 1920s speakeasy, where floozy girls and gregarious guys flirt, flounce – and tap – their way through upbeat and enjoyable tunes that will make you want to get up and dance, too.

In the second scene, the musical takes a turn and the actors end up in the Depression, begging and downtrodden. But they don’t stay that way. Performer George Ngo launches into Burke’s classic and beautiful “Pennies from Heaven,” brightening the spirits of his fellow street dwellers. Then, the scene becomes silly when the cast launches into “When Stanislaus Got Married,” demanding the audience to join along.

From there, the musical transitions to the set of a radio show, another humorous scene that mimics an early-century radio show with a cast of not-so-smart Hollywood stars (and starlettes).

The final scene in the first act takes place at a USO show. The cast joins in on several of Burke’s most popular songs, including “Thank Your Lucky Stars and Stripes,” “Polka Dots and Moonbeams,” and the show’s title song, “Swinging on a Star.”

The second act begins in a ballroom and features both slow ballads and silly interactions, as in “All You Want to do is Dance,” where one character struggles to get her fast-footed date under control.

The next scene begins in Morocco, where two Americans try to help a refugee princess escape to Florida while she is being pursued. The scene is hilarious, and chaos and confusion ensues.

The final scene is slower. The cast members are dressed in formal attire and sing songs about love and loss. In this scene, almost every cast member gets to showcase his or her voice, illustrating just how talented each of them really is (if you didn’t already catch on). The show picks up at the end, with reprises of “Pennies from Heaven” and, finally, “Swinging on a Star.”

The cast includes Carrie Nelson, Valerie Jolibois, Krista Curry, Stacee Cramer, Adam Randolph, George Ngo, and K. James Coop. Each of the cast members is extremely talented, both vocally and in their performance. Each has the ability to charm the audience, to make them laugh or to make them frown.

The musical, marvelously directed by Vicki Richards, is colorful and a ton of fun. Each scene features a new set and bright costumes, and several times the audience is encouraged to get involved with the fun.

The music is directed by Howard Knickerbocker, and with his direction, the music does Burke’s words justice. The pit orchestra (comprised of five musicians) even gets involved in the dialogue on occasion.

The show is a family-appropriate, entirely enjoyable romp through some of this country’s history, as well as through Burke’s most cherished masterpieces. It plays at Gig Harbor’s Paradise Theatre through July 6, every Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and every Sunday at 4 p.m.

The theater is located at 9911 Burnham Dr. N.W. in Gig Harbor. Tickets are $20 for adults, $17 for seniors and $10 for students 25 and under. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.paradisetheatre.org or call (253) 851-PLAY.

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