REVIEW: Welk reopens theater with enjoyable ‘Forever Plaid’

A fun musical revue that will likely bring back memories for those who grew up in the ‘50s and ‘60s — but is enjoyable enough for all generations — is playing for the Welk Resort Theatre’s reopening following lobby renovations.

“Forever Plaid” is the first production for the Welk since its Escondido stage closed on Jan. 1 for a lobby remodel.

The musical playing at 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. each Saturday plus 1 p.m. each Sunday through Aug. 26 provides four deceased members of a close-harmony guy group an opportunity to perform the concert they never got to present due to their untimely deaths in a vehicle accident in February 1964 as they headed to their first big gig. A short film plays at the opening to tell the story of Sparky (Jackson Hinden), Frankie (Travis Leland), Smudge (Robert Petrarca) and Jinx (Nick Tubbs).

Due to a convergence in the atmosphere, they are returned to earth for one night to present their concert that features songs like “Catch a Falling Star,” “Day-O,” “Love is a Many Splendored Thing,” “Magic Moments,” “Rags to Riches,” “Three Coins in the Fountain” and “Shboom.”

The singers are joined on stage by two musicians — base player Martin Martinera plus pianist and music director Justin Gray.

Despite the melancholy nature of the show — the guys express their disappointment in never getting to record the albums they dreamed of making or hitting it big on the tour scene — it has many upbeat moments. This is in part due to Hinden who is clearly the comedian of the group, especially when they sing “Perfidia.”

There are also several, designed-for-laughs moments that deal with such things as Sparky’s retainer and Jinx’s frequent bloody nose. The tropical vibe when they sing “Matilda” and similar-themed songs was fun. The “Ed Sullivan Show” segment in which they sang “Lady of Spain” was hilarious as they demonstrated a lot of physical comedy during their several variety show acts performed while Tubbs sang.

Each of the four guys got his moment in the spotlight. This included a section that had Petrarca singing “Sixteen Tons” and Leland singing “Chain Gang.”

While the Off-Broadway musical revue that debuted in New York in 1989 had two acts, the Welk’s production directed by David S. Humphrey merges them into one extended act that runs a little over 1 1/2 hours.

Tickets are $55 for the show and $75 for the show plus a pre-show three course meal at the Welk Resort’s Canyon Grille Restaurant. To purchase, go to SanDiegoTickets.WelkResorts.com or call the box office at 888-802-7469. Parking is free.

As for the theater lobby’s remodel, the Escondido venue — the first resort in the Welk Resorts chain — previously featured memorabilia of its founder, Lawrence Welk, to tell the story from his 1903 birth through his decades-long music and television career. He died in 1992.

While the mini-museum that filled the lobby is gone, there is still a section of the updated, more sophisticated theater lobby devoted to the resort’s founder, with a timeline detailing key moments in his life and the company’s present day status. There are now six Welk resorts throughout the U.S. and Mexico, with a seventh under construction and an eighth in the planning stage. There are also a few artifacts, photos and a video on display.

email: rbnews@pomeradonews.com