STAGE REVIEW : ‘On the Road’: Tired Vehicle Stuck in ‘70s : Long Beach Revival Shows Unintentionally How the Play Has Aged Poorly While Feminism Matures

Many feminists hoisted “I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road” like a protest sign in the late ‘70s. As a testament to independent women, Gretchen Cryer and Nancy Ford’s musical was ready-made for the movement.

First off, there was a plucky heroine to root for. Heather, almost 40 and tired of doing what all those dastardly men expect, wants to take her singing in very personal and liberated directions, no matter what.

There was also a villain perfect for hissing. Heather’s manager, Joe, is a male chauvinist oinker who whines and bellows when not getting what he wants. He stands in the way of Heather’s new nightclub act, and he stands in the way of her growth.

Maybe women loved “I’m Getting My Act Together” (first staged in 1978 and currently in revival at the Long Beach Playhouse through July 18) because the message is so basic and uplifting . . . and because there wasn’t anything better out there to hang the feminist banner on.

But one can’t help wondering if fans didn’t wince a bit along with the cheers of solidarity. Even if you love the point of view, it’s hard ignoring how rhetorical and one-dimensional this all is.

The Long Beach revival, however unintentionally, also reveals how poorly the show has aged; certainly not as well as the willful Heather. What may have seemed urgent and even revolutionary back then sounds almost quaint today. The feminist agenda has matured and changed in the past 15 years, and the catch-phrases and attitudes of “I’m Getting My Act Together” come across like leftover cliches from the good old days.

When Heather says something like “If you can’t give me room to grow, then get out of my life!” it all seems too over-familiar to be compelling. And when numbers like “Put in a Package and Sold” and “Miss America” come rolling down their unsubtle way, your first reaction may be to stifle a groan.

Director Jack H. Degelia doesn’t help matters by responding so reverently. This is a show that could use some tongue-in-cheek doodlings to mock the melodrama, or at least put it in the proper perspective, but we don’t get much beyond the overriding seriousness.

The cast does have some fun with the musical’s few amusing passages, but is rather heavy-handed with the overall sermonizing tone.

As Heather, Becky Saunders has a striking voice and handles the mediocre songs rather well, but her characterization is mostly surface anger and longing. Michael Gaffney is often over-the-top as Joe, playing him as an emotional mess who gulps aspirins and veers from a manipulative daddy figure to a tantrum-throwing beast.

On the technical side, Bradley D. Kaye’s set opts for a minimalist look, giving Heather just a bare stage to do her thing, all with the help of her rock group, the Liberated Man’s Band (Jeff Yu, William Pomeroy, Rand Allen and Amy Eriksen) and backup singers (Jill Salmon and Sandi Lee Milne). Lighting designer Buddy Tobie, with his strobe accents and mood enhancers, adds a little welcome stimulation every now and then.

‘I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road’

A Long Beach Playhouse production of Gretchen Cryer (book and lyrics) and Nancy Ford’s (music) musical. Directed by Jack H. Degelia. With Becky Saunders, Michael Gaffney, Jill Salmon, Sandi Lee Milne, William Pomeroy, Rand Allen, Jeff Yu and Amy Eriksen. Musical direction by Rob Woyshner. Set by Bradley D. Kaye. Lighting by Buddy Tobie. Costumes by Lea Woods. Sound by Norm McBride. Plays Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. through July 18, with matinees at 2 p.m. on July 5 and 12, at the Studio Theatre, 5021 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach. Tickets: $12 and $14. (310) 494-1616.