The Hippodrome State Theatre's latest production will make you want to shout. It may also incite a sudden urge to do "The Loco-Motion" and leave you singing "Do Wah Diddy Diddy."
"Suds - The Rockin' ‘60s Musical Soap Opera," is now showing eight times per week through June 26. Directed by Lauren Caldwell, the play centers around Cindy (Wendi Stoltzfus), a teenage Wash-O-Rama employee who has a laundry list of reasons why she should make this birthday her last.
Through a series of letters delivered by the postman (Billy Sharpe), Cindy is informed of a plethora of terrible occurances that make her depressed.
Devastated by the news, Cindy decides to take matters into her own hands with a pair of pedal pushers, tying one leg around her neck and the other to a washing machine agitator.
Enter Marge (Kelly Atkins) and Dee Dee (Lia Sumerano), a pair of bickering guardian angels who arrive just in time to prevent Cindy from committing suicide by washing machine. The two are faced with restoring Cindy's will to live, working in song and dance numbers the whole way.
Death, taxes and heartbreak may seem like no laughing matter, but "Suds" does not fall short of laugh-out-loud moments. Everything about this production is fun, from the retro turquoise and salmon-colored set, to the puffy skirts and Aqua-Net-induced hairdos.
Although the cast does not fail to entertain, the star of "Suds" is the music. It's no coincidence that it takes place in a laundry mat, as the pop music is light-hearted and squeaky clean. The musical features hits from the 1960s, including "Secret Agent Man" and "You Can't Hurry Love."
Tickets for "Suds" can be purchased at thehipp.org or by calling 352-375-4477. Regular tickets cost $25, senior tickets are $20 and student tickets are $12 with proper identification.
