STAGE REVIEW : ‘RED, WHITE AND ROSIE’: A RIVETING WWII MUSICAL

Rosie the Riveter helped build planes in World War II. Now she has her own musical, “Red, White and Rosie.” May it fly even longer than the planes did.

“Red, White and Rosie” entertains without much strain, yet it also makes pointed comments about sexism, racism, militarism, even capitalism. You can enjoy it as a piece of nostalgia, but it has a lot more on its mind than most World War II musicals.

The show’s takeoff at the Gene Dynarski Theatre isn’t flawless. Most of the solos could use more vocal power. The opening trio is a bit shaky and director Doug Lind and choreographer Christine Harger Lind ought to squirt a little more oil into a couple of the transitional moments.

Still, Rosie (Beverly Leech) beguiles, as she and her fellow females try to earn self-respect--and 65 cents an hour--while doing their bit for the war effort. They don’t have it easy. The women are unskilled, the remaining men skeptical and derisory. Moreover, the women are “ ‘until’ workers”--on hand only until the war is over--and they’re not supposed to forget it.

This provides the modicum of tension that sustains us during the intermission, which separates Rosie’s first days on the job (in 1941-42) from her last (in 1945). The resolution of this tension isn’t quite as predictable as you might expect, because the Linds’ book has introduced a couple of other provocative ingredients.

One is Royce, the owner of the factory (Dean Dittman, in the show’s canniest performance). He’s a rollicking caricature of a war profiteer--when he can’t find a hammer to tack a flag to his wall, he uses a worker’s shoe for the job, explaining: “Mine are Italian.”

Besides a hammer, the only thing Royce lacks is a secretary, who might add another voice to the show’s portrait of ‘40s sexual politics as well as an extra touch of verisimilitude. However, his wife’s black maid (Bobbye Gooden) does create another interesting wrinkle, when she decides to triple her wages by working at the plant.

Finally, the conspiracy of Royce and the union boss (Don Dolan) to keep Rosie in her place--and to keep the bombers coming even after the war ends--gives the second act its most intriguing narrative twists.

John Phillips Hutton’s score could have been written for a ‘40s musical. Within those limits, it offers a wealth of variety, from satire to up-tempo cheer to full-throated anthems, all efficiently overseen by musical director Shawn Stengel.

The performers look exactly right. Leech is especially fetching, both as “a dame in coveralls” and in her final dressy outfit (costumer: Amy Gilbert), and Janet E. Anderson has the best-friend look down pat. The period characterizations are spirited and authentic.

Vicki Profitt’s corrugated set includes the skeleton of an actual plane and riveting equipment that looks like the real thing--at least to these untrained eyes. Mark Artusio’s sound track and an opening montage of still photos of the real Rosies also help take us back to those ax-the-Axis days.

Performances are at 5600 Sunset Blvd., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7 p.m., indefinitely; (213) 465-0070.