New musical a 'Blast From the Past'

Singer and dancer Brad Moranz says that "Little Shop of Horrors" meets "Superman" meets "Field of Dreams" is the best way to describe the new musical he and wife Jenny, a former Rockette, have penned.

Titled "Blast From the Past," the show opens Friday at the Charleston Music Hall.

"Since we are both baby boomers, Jenny and I grew up listening to some of the greatest, most enduring and most fun music ever: the songs of the '50s, '60s and '70s," explains Moranz, who was in "Little Shop of Horrors" and many other shows in New York.

The Moranzes moved here in the late 1990s to perform in a long-running musical variety show at the Charleston Music Hall.

Since then, the couple have produced holiday specials and musicals for the Piccolo Spoleto Festival.

Moranz explains that to weave so many songs together, they set the storyline in a golden oldies record store in the Midwest with the name Blast From the Past. Although the business is in financial trouble, it is enthusiastically run by a middle-age hippie couple, Mom and Dad, and their teenage daughter, Suzie.

When a freak meteor shower strikes the store, all the records, along with Suzie, are exposed to radiation. In a scenario resembling the Ben Stiller film "Night in the Museum," singers on the dusty records (instead of statues and artwork) suddenly come to life in the store.

"It's really hilarious," says Moranz, describing the chaos that ensues.

"Before you know it, Tom Jones and Frankie Valli are competing for Suzie's affections, and Austin Powers is hitting on Mom. Meanwhile, Dad joins the Village People, while Elvis just wants people to stay off his blue suede shoes."

Sadly, in the middle of the nonstop fun, the bank calls threatening foreclosure on the store. In desperation, Suzie plans a concert to raise money using the revived singers.

"But suddenly, the effect of the radiation wears off and all the singers simply vanish into the corn field," says Moranz.

Luckily, in Act II, a miracle saves the day.

The large cast includes Johnny Fortuno, who played Elvis at Legends club in Las Vegas, and "Today" Show Talent Search finalist Casey Thompson, along with dancers Karen Bellush, Kristin Altfather and Kedrick Paley. An onstage band will be led by pianist Tommy Gill with musicians Wayne Mitchum, Jay Miley, Ron Wiltrout and Robbi Kenney.

"Blast From the Past" will be performed at 2 and 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. March 21 at the Charleston Music Hall. Tickets are $32.50, adults; $29.50, senior citizens; $22.50, students; and $19.50, kids 12 and younger and may be purchased by calling 800-514-3849, at etix.com or at the door on the days of the performances.

'Jane Austen' play

Chris Weatherhead and Clarence Felder, director and executive producer, respectively, of the Actors' Theatre of South Carolina, are another husband-and-wife team who recently collaborated on a new theater piece.

In this case, it's a one-act play with music titled "Jane Austen's Music and Literary Society," which will be performed March 21 at the Circular Congregational Church.

"This theater piece will transport the audience to 1815 London, as Jane Austen, a guest speaker at a literary society, turns the patrons on their heads," says Weatherhead, noting that Austen (1775-1817), actually received little public recognition in her lifetime.

"Jane's most famous books are 'Sense and Sensibility,' (1811), 'Pride and Prejudice,' (1813), 'Mansfield Park' (1814) and 'Emma' (1816)," she says. "Although her friends knew of her authorship, Jane's name did not appear on any of the title pages."

Not feeling proficient enough to lecture on her own writing, Austen brings her witty brother, Henry, and some chamber musicians to augment her portrayals of some not-so-polite 'country creatures' from 'Pride and Prejudice,' " says Weatherhead.

She and Felder, both stage and screen actors, will portray Jane and Henry Austen. These characters will, in turn, take the roles of a dozen characters from the book. Henry will play the wealthy, arrogant, prideful Mr. Darcy, the warmhearted Mr. Bennet and even the vicious Lady Catherine de Bourgh, wearing a bonnet.

Jane will portray the wholesome, forthright Elizabeth Bennet and Miss Bingley, the cold, conceited aristocrat, among other women.

The performances will be augmented at various intervals by Chamber Music Charleston performing Beethoven's "Sextet for Clarinets, Bassoons and Horns."

Musicians include Charles Messersmith and Gretchen Roper, clarinets; Sandra Nikolajevs and Kathy St. John, bassoons; and Debra Sherrill and Brandon Nichols, horns.

Of the collaboration between the chamber orchestra and the acting company, Felder says, "Many are amazed by this unique artistic brew."

The one-act play will be performed at 3 p.m. March 21 at the Circular Congregational Church, 150 Meeting St.

Tickets are $25 and may be purchased by calling 763-4941 or at www.ChamberMusicCharleston.org.

Dottie Ashley is a freelance writer in Mount Pleasant. Reach her at dottieashley@gmail.com.