Plaid Tidings

Plaid Tidings

SCERA Center for the Arts - Orem, Utah

Nov 28 - Dec 23, 2008

Jinx - Shawn Mortensen

Smudge - David Smith

Frankie - Geoff Reynolds

Sparky - Conn Curran

Directed by Robinne Booth

Plaid Tidings in the sequel to Forever Plaid. Stuart Ross, the playwright, was asked to do a sequel to his hit Forever Plaid shortly after 9/11. Until than, he had avoided doing a sequel, feeling that sequels were for movies like, Rambo, Lord of the Rings, Home Alone, Indiana Jones, and Harry Potter. "It was at a time when we all needed a little joy and a little cozy holiday fun to lift spirits."

The show opens with the four plaids singing Deus Ex Plaid. They remember their previous "trip" to earth (after their deaths) and are trying to figure out what they're doing back. Perplexing dilemma. They argue with each other. One of them notices all the Christmas decor. They fight and argue some more about why they're back to do a Christmas show.

They eventually acquiesce and do the Christmas show. I think the highlight of the evening is in the second act. Frankie, Jinx, Sparky, and Smudge do highlights from the Ed Sullivan Show. Jinx sings, I'll Be Home for Christmas, while the rest of them "perform" "talents" that one would see on the Ed Sullivan Show. From seals juggling, dogs jumping through hoops, balancing plates on little sticks... It's, as I mentioned earlier, the best part of the show. At least for me. The entire piece is entertaining. And at the time it was written, we (Americans) needed to be entertained. We needed to be distracted from the cares of the world.

Conn Curran was sick the night I went. In his place David Whitlock played the role of Sparky. When I saw this show in 2007 at SCERA, Mr. Whitlock was part of the cast as Sparky.

Overall, this was a great production. I have seen it twice now and will continue to see it every Christmas as long as there is still breath in my body and strength in my legs to carry me to the theatre. Christmas time for me is always hectic. I'm always going from one performance to another. And I usually end up hating the holiday season by December 15th. This year was no different. It's always nice to attend a show, that is simply fun. Helps you relax.