Lamb’s Players Theatre is taking its audience on a trip down memory lane during their World Premiere Musical Celebration The ’70s! The Golden Age of the Album that opened on June 17 and is running through Sept. 14. Co-creators Kerry Meads and Vanda Eggington along with Choreographer Christine Wisner Hall bring together a talented cast and crew to wow audiences as they revisit a decade of music that defined a generation. During the two hour and twenty minute performance (with a 15 minute intermission), audience members were transported to the ’70s through music that was as diverse as it was poignant.
The talented cast and crew shared interesting stories and bits of history from the ’70s that told the story of the music from the top albums of the decade. Throughout the performance, audience members could be seen singing along, laughing and obviously enjoying the memories this show brought forth. Shea Hawthorne enjoyed Saturday night’s performance saying, “It was wonderful! I found it difficult to stay still in my seat. I was either tapping my foot, clapping my hands or bobbing my head the entire time. I was most impressed by how musically talented each cast member was. It was truly an entertaining flash back to the ’70s.”
Coronado Cays resident James Collora shared the following message with his local friends after watching this weekend’s performance: “The Lamb’s Players Theatre production of “The ’70s! The Golden Age of the Album is a ‘tour de force’ featuring music from Elton John to Stevie Wonder to Roberta Flack. We enjoyed every minute of this production which was performed by talented musicians with a great deal of energy. I think everyone will enjoy this production.”
Songs performed ranged from The Eagles to Fleetwood Mac, Meatloaf to Simon and Garfunkel, Joni Mitchell to James Taylor, Marvin Gaye to Aretha Franklin, and Stevie Wonder to Elton John. The music genres were varied, eliciting emotion and nostalgia from those in the crowd.
Along with the music and stories, the talented musicians impressed the audience with their ability to play a variety of musical styles as well as a wide range of instruments. Just as the music was diverse, so was the cast. From young newcomers like Caleb Schanzenbach whose debut performance had him playing piano and keyboard while singing, to veteran Rick Ogden who has been performing since the ’80s and delighted the audience with his saxophone, harmonica and banjo skills, the entire cast enchanted the patrons. The energy of Nathan Nonhof as he sang and danced across the stage and Bryan Barbarin as he channeled his inner Blues Brother, kept audiences engaged and entertained. Avery Nelson’s talent on the electric bass and classical upright bass was inspiring as she poured her heart and soul into the performance.
If you’re looking for a lively evening of music in Coronado, I can highly recommend a trip to Lamb’s Players Theatre for “The ’70s! The Golden Age of the Album.”
