Life Can Be A Dream

Life Could Be a Dream was part of the 2013 New York Musical Theatre Festival. It played the Pershing Square Signature Center located at 480 West 42nd street. It ran for two hours with one intermission.

The place is Springfield USA, 1960.

Denny Varney (Daniel Tarter) wants to have a rock band. He practices in the basement of his family home. His mother keeps telling him over the intercom to get a job. Two of his friends who have jobs are in his band, Eugene Johnson (Jim Holdridge) and Wally (Ryan Castellino).

The radio station they listen to is having a contest to find the best band in the area. The one that wins gets a record contract for one year. The only problem is the $50.00 entry fee.

Skip Henderson (Doug Carpenter) joins the group. He works at an auto shop.

Denny knows the auto shops daughter Lois Franklin (Victoria Matlock). He asks her to get her father to sponsor them in the contest.

Boy meets girl (Skip and Lois) and fall in love. But her family doesn’t want them together. He’s from the wrong side of town.

The musical uses songs from the 60’s like “Get a Job”, “Only You” ”Easier Said Than Done” etc. to tell the story. It works well.

The set is not fancy; to left are two chairs, a radio/record player, laundry basket with clothes in it and a bowling ball. The right side is a counter with two chairs.

When the songs are played floor tile comes up on the back wall with pictures or album covers of the artist whose song is being sung. Dion is one of the singers whose photo is shown.

The story is predicable. But is a well done. It makes for an enjoyable time at the theatre. The songs used fit in so well it’s as if it was written for the show.

It would be nice if it comes back for a permanent run someplace else.

Review by Rozanna Radakovich.