Stage Write

Sonia and Vernon are a classic case of opposites attract in Beef & Boards' season opener They're Playing Our Song. The romantic comedy is great for anyone feeling nostalgic for the late 1970s. The decade specific choreography and costumes play such a prominent role, it's hard to imagine the story at any other time. The show is the first of eight musicals in the 2019 lineup at the dinner theatre. Though this musical isn't as well-known as others, it features the work of playwright Neil Simon. His quick-witted banter is delightful and with only nine songs, this musical depends more heavily of dialogue than others.   Though they are assisted by a few supporting cast members who reflect their inner struggles, the show mainly rests on the shoulders of the two leads. Sarah Hund  has become a favorite at Beef & Boards for her playful sense of humor and vocal skills. Both serve her well in the role of the flaky, eccentric Sonia. She’s all heart and little ...

The Singing Sanders Family, a group of talented musicians, visits a tiny church in 1938. The result is a fun night of bluegrass gospel music with a huge dose of humor. The show premiered at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre in 2007 and quickly became a huge crowd favorite. The theatre hosted two sequels to the show in the following years and now has brought back the original. The plucky family is made up of half a dozen unique individuals. The talented group plays 28 different instruments throughout the show; everything from a tambourine to an upright bass make their way into the songs. The patriarch Burl and Vera, his scripture-spouting wife have three children. There are the twins, Denise and Dennis, both quick to explain who the boy is and who the girl is. Then there’s the delightful June, the only family member without a gift for song.   Burl’s brother Stanley is the final piece in the puzzle.   Much of the original cast returns to reprise their roles. Beef ...

As the season changes from summer to fall there’s only one place you can be sure to find rain right now. Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre’s current show, Singin’ in the Rain, has brought the storms to the stage. A crowd favorite, this classic musical contains well-known songs like “Make ‘Em Laugh,” “Lucky Star” and the title song. One of my personal favorites, “Moses,” is a playful tap number which highlights the performers’ skills. Doug King, Timothy Ford and Kenny Shepard nail it, having fun, but never failing to stay in synch and hit their marks. Sarah Hund has proven her comedic chops in a dozen roles at B&B, but her turn as Lina Lamont provides a whole new height. She masters the horrible grating voice and adds her own flare to the role. King should also be applauded for his understated role as Cosmo Brown. Always the sidekick, Cosmo provides zingers under his breath, taps his heart out and knows how to take an expert fall with the best of them. King was the perfect choic...

At Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre the stage is alive with "The Sound of Music" until Nov. 23. The family friendly show is a mainstay at the theater and features songs made famous by the 1965 Rodgers and Hammerstein film. Although the theater's production doesn't feature any Austrian mountains, it still captures the heartwarming true story of the singing von Trapp family. The show hits its stride with the "Sound of Music reprise" in the instant that Captain Georg von Trapp realizes, with a little prodding from Maria, that he doesn't know his children. Christine Negherbon stars as Maria, the nun turned governess turned mother. She's enthusiastic and sincere as a woman trying to understand her own heart. Sarah Hund plays Elsa Schraeder, the baroness vying for the Captain's heart. Though the role is small it's a notable change from Hund's recurring role as June Sanders in the "Smoke on the Mountain" shows. In this show she is rese...

Bluegrass gospel songs and sarcastic sass don't often go hand-in-hand, but in the newest Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre show they work together like peanut butter and jelly. "Smoke on the Mountain Homecoming" is a sequel to last year's sleeper hit "Smoke on the Mountain." The hilarious show's success spread through word-of-mouth and now the entire cast has returned to reprise their roles as the Sanders Family Singers. Each of the characters, from the scripture-quoting Vera to Dennis, the preacher with stage fright, return exactly as last year's audiences will remember them. The actors slipped easily back into their roles. They also had no problem moving from instrument to instrument during the show. The cast members played the guitar, banjo, piano, upright bass, fiddle and more; proving their musical versatility with each number. The show picks up seven years after the original "Smoke" production. The Sanders family has undergone some ch...