Set in a 1950s TV studio, The Taffetas is the story of the four singing sisters (Kaye, Peggy, Cheryl and Donna) who are making their national debut appearance on “Spotlight On Music,” a fictitious weekly program on the real-life Dumont Television Network. Photo submitted.
Sonoma Valley audiences will be treated to the hit off-Broadway musical “The Taffetas,” which opens Friday, March 6 for a three-weekend run at The Playbox at the Sonoma Charter School in Sonoma. The plot follows four talented sisters who sing and dance their way into the hearts of America during their national television debut appearance in the mid 1950s. Their dream is to be invited to perform on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”
Local actresses Melinda Diaz, Daniela Innocenti-Beem, Elizabeth Seagrave Nunan, and Sonia Perozzi star as the talented quartette. They perform nearly 40 songs in the show, including oldies-but-goodies like “Johnny Angel,” “Mister Sandman” and “Where The Boys Are.” Julia Holsworth is featured as the stage manager of the “The Taffetas” fictitious show-within-a-show, “Spotlight On Music.”
“The songs themselves perfectly capture the essence of the times,” said Scott Maraj, the show’s co-director and choreographer, “and we spent hours making sure the girls move like those girl groups while trying to bring something new and refreshing to each number A lot of our audience members will get quite sentimental or will just enjoy reminiscing about the familiarity of what we bring through this production.”
“The Taffetas” is the creation of Rick Lewis, who has written and produced music for “The Great Musicals of MGM,” the 1988 Democratic Convention, and for productions in several Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parades. Lewis
followed up “The Taffetas” with two sequels, “A Taffeta Christmas” and “Taffeta Memories: Senior Musical Moments,” and “The Cardigans,” which is a male version of the musical series.
“We have some powerhouse singers who all fit into their roles without effort – it makes working with them easier than I had ever imagined,” said Maraj about the actresses who portray the swinging sisters. “They actually respond to each other both offstage and on, like real sisters.”
“The Taffetas” is the latest production by award-winning Hoochi-Doo Productions, which last year staged three well-received shows at The Playbox. “Annie Get Your Gun,” “Three Fairy Godmothers,” and the latest in the “Nunsense” series, “Nunsense A-Men.” Like most of the previous shows staged by Hoochie-Doo, this light-hearted and enjoyable production is for audiences of all ages.
“We have a couple of surprises that will bring people right into the 1950s when they enter the theater,” said Vicki Martinez, who after several years with Hoochie-Doo was offered the opportunity to co-direct her first show. “We are paying special attention to the details like the fabulous costumes and TV studio set, which will bring people back to the era of girl groups of the 1950s.”
Performances are: March 6 – 22, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are: $23 for general admission, $20 seniors and students and $15 for children 12 and younger. Reserved seating tickets are $25 per person. Tickets are available at Reader’s Books, 130 E. Napa St. in Sonoma, by phone at 707.322.062, or at the door the day of the performance. The Playbox at the Sonoma Charter School is located at 17202 Hwy12, Sonoma.
