Wonderettes score again
Mammoth Lakes Rep’s holiday show begins three weekend run.
Mammoth Lakes Repertory Theater first introduced us to the Marvelous Wonderettes back in 2012. That show was about four young, talented Midwestern gals on the eve of their graduation from high school in 1958.
This year’s Christmas reprise is set a few years after graduation. The Wonderettes are performing at a Christmas party at the local hardware store.
But then the store owner, who traditionally plays Santa every year, doesn’t appear. Is something wrong? Is the store going out of business? Will it be a Merry Christmas after all?
From left: Peeler, Burgenbauch, Reese and Grahek. Photo courtesy: Sheet staff.
So why did Director Shira Dubrovner bring back the Wonderettes? Simple. People loved them the first time.
Cast members Kristin Reese and Amy Grahek are veterans of the first show. Reese is born to play this part. Grahek has a helluva voice.
The new and very talented additions are Allison Peeler and Cassie Burgenbauch.
Per usual, the girls are, at turns, sarcastic, vulernable, wise, determined and … even sexy, in that wholesome midwestern way.
Some of the best lines. From Reese:
“If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we’d all have a Merry Christmas.”
And from Peeler:
“Strong, frosty and cold. What am I, a beer?”
There are a couple of fun spots which involve audience participation – after all, most everyone in the audience is a hardware store employee – and if you’re lucky, you’ll have Wonderettes vying to win your heart.
Not that they really need to vie. Chances are, they’ll have it already won.
