‘Shout! The Mod Musical’ is utterly a ball

Five girls, 30 songs and two hours of nonstop pop

By Vivian DeGain

The Oakland Press Friday, April 29, 2011

Pop rock from the British Invasion wasn’t always an all-man show.

In the early 1960s, the gorgeous and gutsy voices of Lulu, Dusty Springfield and Petula Clark created as many waves here in the States as they did across the pond.

That female intonation, arising from the deep convergence of soul, rock and blues has resurfaced again in the contemporary voices of Adele, Amy Winehouse and Leona Lewis.

Similarly, the five-woman cast of “Shout! The Mod Musical” which has just opened at Meadow Brook Theatre, resonates with and revisits that England sound during the 1960s. Simply put “Shout! The Mod Musical” is five girls, 30 songs and two hours of nonstop pop — nicely done!

MBT Artistic Director Travis Walter directs the musical review. It opens with a stunning ensemble performance of “Downtown” and the hits never quit.

The all-girl cast, each identified by the color of her miniskirt and Gogo Boots, includes Liz Griffith (Orange Girl), Katie Hardy (Green Girl), Allison Hunt (Blue Girl), Renee Turner (Yellow Girl), and Charis Vaughn (Red Girl).

Individually, in duet and in ensemble – these women perform in superb voice, singing out with heart and soul. Each is a chanteuse in her own right.

Show stopping soloists? Vaughn’s “To Sir With Love” is breath-taking. Turner’s “Son of a Preacher Man” takes a little ditty “with a good beat that you can dance to” and makes it whole. Wow! Hardy’s “Goldfinger” is absolutely chilling – just as it should be.

Song after song, threaded together in a light comedic series of look-backs and one-liners, “Shout!” recalls a time that seems simpler. Yet the 60s were hardly simple, as the music challenged and churned social issues of class, race, feminism and sexuality.

Walter and Choreographer Jennifer George-Consiglio put all the right moves into the show — every shake of the head and hip to some of the best shimmy seen since the day.

Created by Phillip George and David Lowenstein, with “Mod Musings” and “Groovy Gab” by Peter Charles Morris and Phillip George, this musical time capsule also features “Georgy Girl,” “Don’t Give Up (don’t let it get you down),” and “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me.”

“Shout! The Mod Musical” features a live trio with Musical Director Daniel Feyer on keyboards, Jennifer Gale also on keyboards and Nick Matthews on drums/ percussion. Terry W. Carpenter is the stage manager with set design by Vince Mountain, costume design by Liz Moore, lighting design by Reid G. Johnson, and sound design by Mike Duncan.

If you go Meadow Brook Theatre presents ‘Shout! The Mod Musical’ through May 15 at Meadow Brook Theatre on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester. Tickets are $24-$39 and performances run at 8 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; at 8 p.m. on Saturdays April 20 and May 14, and 6 p.m. May 7; and at 6:30 p.m. Sundays. Matinees at 2 p.m. on selected Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Call MBT box office at 248-377-3300 or visit www.mbtheatre.com.