Thumbs up for a cast on its toes

By Carol Davis

SOLANA BEACH, California — North Coast Repertory Theatre is having fun this month with the George Haimsohn and Robin Miller (book and lyrics) and Jim Wise (music) 1968 tongue-in-cheek musical Dames at Sea that is set in the 1930’s as a takeoff on the big dance shows of the Busby Berkeley musical era.

Flash! Dames at Sea has six actors, is played out on a small stage and boasts live three musicians.

Six dancers/singers or sixty I predict it will be smooth sailing for the 30-year-old company with this lighthearted show given the heart and spirit of the cast and some excellent hoofing. Live music is always a plus and the upbeat stories of hometown girl making it big on Broadway, think 42^nd Street as well as Dames continue to please.

North Coast’s production is on solid ground under Rick Simas’ direction and with Sarah Errington as star struck Ruby from Utah who arrives in New York with a pair of tap shoes and a dream. She wants to make it big on Broadway.

Fresh off the bus she stumbles into a dress rehearsal  of a Broadway show…”Dames at Sea”, and catches Mona Kent (the talented Roxane Carrasco), headliner of the show, strutting her stuff complaining and bragging all the way to her dressing room. It’s at this that time Joan (the effervescent Natalie Storrs), one of the chorus gals notices Ruby and decides to give her a chance to try out for the chorus.

After making an impression on the tough speaking Joan, Ruby nearly collapses from lack of food and, realizing that she forgot her suitcase on the bus starts out the door. Joan goes off stage to fetch a Baby Ruth candy bar for Ruby when, voila, a young sailor named Dick, who is from Ruby’s home town, shows up backstage with Ruby’s suitcase.

Fast forward…Ruby and Dick (Jeffrey Scott Parsons) fall in love but Mona has other plans for him. You see Dick also has the bug. He is a wanna be songwriter and shows his music to Mona who quickly swoops him off to her dressing room leaving the starry eyed Ruby high and dry.

Ruby’s fate gets better folks, really.

In the meantime, Mr. Hennessey (Spencer Rowe) the show’s manager informs the crew that the theatre is not only closing, it is coming under the demolition ball, sooner rather than later. Adding insult to injury, Joan has her own bad/good news. One of the chorus girls eloped with a rich patron leaving a spot for Ruby in the chorus. More good news for the cast, Lucky, (Luke Jacobs) a long lost love interest of Joan’s who is now in the navy also manages to rekindle their romance setting up the scene for Act II on board the battleship. (Marty Burnett)

Just by coincidence, the captain of Lucky and Dick’s battleship, Captain Courageous (Rowe) is also the former boyfriend of Mona, whom she calls ‘Kewpie Doll’.  After a brief debriefing on when and how they met, love is in the air again. Moving along, the captain allows the show to go on on deck, Mona gets seasick and…Ruby takes Mona’s place and is instantly a star.

I told you it gets better.

The story is simply a vehicle for the terrific dancing, yes tap, in all its tippity-tap glory thanks to Susan Jordan De-Leon who choreographed with Lisa Hopkins as tap choreographer.  Seventeen or so musical numbers are danced to and sung on North Coast’s small (made even smaller by the second act ship ‘replica’) stage where it was a bit difficult to actually see the dancing feet if you weren’t sitting in the first three or so rows.

Overall, however, Simas and his crew, who completely embrace the their individual character, are to be commended for such a polished and vibrant show. Musical director Ron Councell and his band work miracles with a score and lyrics that has perhaps one recognizable tune you can hum on the way out.

Renetta Lloyds costume designs work beautifully for every character including Roxanne Carrasco’s top banana outfits especially designed to fit her flamboyant character, Mona Kent. Hers are in contrast to the simplicity of the hometown talent of Sarah Errington’s Ruby and the colorful yet fitted youthful look of Natalie Storrs Joan. The men always look good in a Tux or uniform. No contest here.

If you love a good tap dancing show as I do, I give this one two thumbs up.

See you at the theatre.

Dates: through July 29th

Organization: North Coast Repertory Theatre

Phone: 858-481-1055

Production Type: Musical

Where: 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach, CA

Ticket Prices: $35.00- $52.00

Web: northcoastrep.org

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Davis is a San Diego-based theatre critic.  She may be contacted at carol.davis@sdjewishworld.com