On Theater: ‘Blame it’ mines blockbusters to the obscure
You must remember this, the theme song from “Casablanca” that drove Humphrey Bogart crazy when Ingrid Bergman walked back into his gin joint.
It’s referenced, but not really sung, in Vanguard University’s season-opening production of “Blame It on the Movies.”
The tribute crams more than 75 pieces of Hollywood-born music into under 90 intermission-free minutes, including the archaic intro from “As Time Goes By” and the “Play it, Sam” scene with Bogie and Dooley Wilson on screen at the end of the show — but no vocalizing. It’s either a way of toying with the audience or living with the absence of performance rights.
Directed by Susan Berkompas with musical direction by Janice Rogers Wainright and snappy choreography by Bretlyn Schmitt, “Blame It” pushes our memory buttons repeatedly, but several of the songs may not ring a note of identification. I mean, have you ever heard of “Milkman Keep Those Bottles Quiet” or “I Get the Neck of the Chicken”?
They’re part of the opening 1940s segment with jive standards, such as “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” and “I’ve Got a Gal in Kalamazoo, followed up by the romantic ballads “My Foolish Heart” and “Laura.”
The ‘50s are highlighted by “April Love,” “That’s Amore” and “Something’s Gotta Give.” The latter song is a bit ironic since it’s sung right after a picture of Marilyn Monroe appears on the upstage movie screen — it was the title of the movie she was rehearsing for at the time of her death.
A good chunk of the musical action is devoted to the 1960s with such standards as “The Pink Panther,” “Help,” “The Ballad of Cat Ballou” and “Goldfinger.” There’s even a bit heralding the comedic gem “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.”
With the ‘70s, we get the music from “Jaws” (including a recurring shark), the “Rocky” theme and the title tune from Mel Brooks’ “Blazing Saddles,” a relative stranger in such musical company.
The Vanguard ensemble includes four men — Cameron Burchard, Austin Christensen, Andreas Schmidt and Stephan Miser — and seven women — Alison Bassett, Dani Burley, Hannah DeBoer, Megan Fox, Gabrielle Incremona, Alex Miller and Priscilla Schmitt.
Individual highlights included DeBoer, who sang “If You Can Read My Mind” from the original “Superman” flick, and Miller, offering the title song from “The Way We Were,” both of whom really stole the show. As did Olympics-ready gymnast Schmitt with her aerial artistry.
“Blame It on the Movies” ignites a lifetime of memories from some of our great (and not so great) cinematic experiences. It’s a tasty tuneful tribute at Vanguard University.
TOM TITUS reviews local theater.
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IF YOU GO
What: ‘Blame It on the Movies”
Where: Vanguard University Lyceum Theater, 55 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa
When: Closing performance at 2 p.m. Sunday
Cost: $15 - $19
Call: (714) 668-6145
