American Rhythm: 100 Years of Amazing Music, is a time traveling musical playing at Lamb’s Players Theatre in Coronado and its run has already been extended to October 4. Don’t miss this spirited, delightful show. Playwrights Kerry Meads and Vanda Eggington originally wrote the play to celebrate the year 2000. The 2026 version has been revamped to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.
American Rhythm captures the zeitgeist, or spirit, of each decade from 1900-2000. It tells the history of our country through songs, dance, media clips and short narrations. The seven piece band is split on four levels. The piano is on the floor, then drums, then a standup bass, and wind instruments at the top level. Not only can the audience see each musician performing, but the music can be felt.
The performance is a masterclass in integrating media into a live performance. A screen at the top of the stage shows press clips from each era. Reflecting the technology of the decade, it evolves from newspaper headlines, to black and white photos, to movie news reels, to T.V. evening news and computer pages. The topics range from important news events, like wars and riots, to baseball highlights and celebrities. The media grounds the songs and music of each decade into the history. It is a powerful way for the audience to understand how each decade felt to the average American.
Far from just playing top singles of each decade, the choice of songs and the dynamics of the music let the audience experience emotional highs and lows. Happy times give the audience what they expect from a musical — elaborate dance routines. Choreographed by Colleen Kollar Smith, the eleven-member ensemble executes them flawlessly. The 1970s disco montage is groovy. Surf music and Beach Blanket Bingo-style dancing show how stoked California was in the 1960s. The 1920s, 1950s and 2000s also have engaging dance routines. The magic of 1930s Hollywood is captured by a ballroom dance number and Ashley Chivarria performs a tap dance as Paula Abdul in the 1980s.
However, what makes the show powerful is how they represent the troubling times of history. American history is largely defined by our wars. The audience is given the opportunity to reflect on the reality of war through ballads. “What’ll I do,” sung by Natasha Reese, and “I’ll be seeing you,” sung by Catie Grady, follow the casualty statistics from WWI and WWII. For Vietnam, “Find the Cost of Freedom,” is sung a cappella. Another potent scene reflects the angst of the 1990s. Clips of the Rodney King riots, O.J. Simpson’s trial, and mass shootings show on a darkened stage. One light shines on Michael Louis Cusimano, who sings “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” as the band rocks out.
American Rhythm doesn’t shy away from addressing social inequity. “What did I do to be so (Black and Blue),” sung by Van Angelo, expresses the desperation of African Americans during the Depression who lost their jobs to whites. A single folk singer with a guitar accompanies film footage of the Civil Rights March on Washington and the 1960s assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Robert Kennedy — it is a poignant scene.
The costumes, designed by Jeanne Reith, are not only period-appropriate, but the colors relate the feel of the decade. An effective costume moment takes place in the show after the Wall Street Crash of 1929. The performers, in a 1920s Speakeasy, stop their ecstatic dancing and slowly take off their head dresses, beads and boas as singers transition to Depression-era songs.
American Rhythm was a pleasure to watch and is a treat for not only music lovers, but also history lovers. Teens can receive an engaging history lesson and an overview of music genres. Director Kerry Meads used every theater tool available — music, song, dance, dialogue, costumes, lighting, media — and crafted a perfect musical.
American Rhythm has been extended through October 4. For tickets, visit lambsplayers.org or call 619-437-6000. Box office hours are Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m.
