‘The 1940’s Radio Hour’ leaves audience wanting more

Bob Smith
The Edmond Sun

EDMOND Fri, May 16 2008

— Edmond Memorial High School is presenting the nostalgic “1940’s Radio Hour” by Walton Jones as its spring musical. This trip down memory lane offers numerous tunes from the appropriate time period which many people recognize. It also supplies many laughs due to the fine performances of the talented young people in the cast, each of whom gets their chance to shine.
Set on Dec. 21.1942, the show originates from the Hotel Astor’s Algonquin Room. A rather frenetic opening sets the pace for the show as the members of the cast all begin arriving late for the show with the degree of tardiness depending on how big they think they are.
Rumors also are flying around that one of the cast members will not be present, driving the show’s announcer Clifton Feddington (Kevin Percival) to distraction. Not helping matters is Pops Bailey (Stephen Sanders), who seems to be using the studio phone for bets at the racetrack. While Lou Cohn (Weston Waugh) struggles to get his female partner, Ginger Brooks (Morgan Boswell), to begin to rehearse their number.
Zach Ming offers some nice work as orchestra leader Zoot Doubleman. Bringing a nice arrogance to the role of lead singer Johnny Cantone is Andrew Swift. He shows off fine vocal work while leading anyone and everyone down the garden path about who he is recommending to replace him when he leaves the show to go to Hollywood.
First allowing the desperate singer Neal Tilden, nicely played by Brian Hasse, to think he is the anointed, Cantone chooses the young B.J. Gibson, wonderfully played by Patrick Towne.
Jon Cunningham as Biff Baker shows off some nice trumpet work before showing off to the Army, while the women in the show, including Laurel Sein, Alyssa Jackson, Sarah White and Brooke Reynolds, show nice singing voices as well as great acting skills while offering their various songs.
The Jinglettes (Robin Kirk, Bethany Bruce, Anna Helm and Kristen Matlock) as well as Jingler Cameron Barnett do fine work with the various commercials we all remember from the old days. Matthew Percival is splendid as the over-enthusiastic Wally Fergusson, the delivery boy who wants badly to be in the show and finally achieves his dream.
With wonderful skill, these young performers make the old tunes seem new and give us all a chance to reminisce and think for a minute how we still are talking about getting the boys home from the war.
Directors Deana Neibert and Becky Martin have done a splendid job of making this fast-paced show run with polished skill while choreographer Callie Fry has done splendid work with the dance routines. Running a scant 90 minutes, the show leaves one wanting more. This is a fun treat for the entire family.

BOB SMITH is a theater critic for The Edmond Sun.