DAMES AT SEA by Carol Kaufman Segal

            

Movies in the ‘30’s were made to be light and enjoyable to watch.  It was a stressful time, and it gave people an opportunity to take their minds off of the problems of the world.  Dames at Sea is a take-off of just that type of movie, and today it can still bring fun and joy to audiences everywhere.  The play, with music by Jim Wise, book and lyrics by George Haimsohn and Robin Miller, premiered on Broadway in 2015.  It is now playing at the Sierra Madre Playhouse and is doing just that.

            

The story is cute, maybe trite, but the music and the dancing make up for everything, and so do the performers in this grand production.  Ruby (Katie Franqueira) has taken a bus all the way from a small town in Utah only to arrive in New York City, forgetting to pick up her suitcase from the ground as she dashes off.  Lucky for her, a young sailor picks it up, follows her so that he can return it, and eventually catches up with her, introducing himself as Dick (Aaron Shaw). 

          

  “Oh well”, as she opens the suitcase and admits, there’s nothing in it but her tap shoes, as they fall out!  She tells him that she has come to break into show business.  He lets her know about his dream of becoming a songwriter.  And it all turns into love at first sight!  As fate will have it, Ruby finds herself immediately cast as a chorus girl in a Broadway musical where she meets the other members of the show.  There is Joan (Marissa Mayer) who will become her new best friend, Mona (Jennifer Knox) the ego-centric member who does her best to snatch Dick away from her, and lo and behold Lucky (Ruben Bravo), Dick’s sailor buddy, and Dick himself who now finds himself as a member of Hennessey’s show (Chuck McLane).

           

It all sounds great.  Everyone’s dream comes true until, just before the show is to open, they lose the use of the building as it is being torn down!  Who, but the two sailors come to the rescue when they convince their Captain (also played by Chuck McLane) to allow the production to be held on their ship?!

            

All seems perfect until Mona, the show’s star, becomes seasick.  Fortunately, everyone convinces Ruby that “she can do it” and a star is born.  Everyone ends up happily ever after, Ruby and Dick, Joan and Lucky, and even The Captain falls for Mona!

 The music is wonderful, the dancing sublime, the cast tops as singers and dancers.  The music director is Scott Paxton, choreography by Jeffrey Scott Parsons, costume designs by Shon LeBlanc, all under the astute direction of Joshua Finkel.  The set design is by Jeff G. Rack.  What a stupendous ship in Act II!

           

Dames at Sea has already been extended at the Sierra Madre Playhouse located at 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre.  Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM, Sundays at 2:30 PM, through August 3.  There will also be a matinee performance on Saturday, August 3, at 2:30 PM.  Tickets are available online at www.sierramadreplayhouse.com, reservations by phone at (626) 355-4318.

           

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