BRIAN DE LORENZO IN "FOREVER PLAID" AT THE STONEHAM THEATRE

SHOW TO RUN FROM SEPTEMBER 7th THROUGH 30th

Brian de Lorenzo, recipient of the 2001 "Performer of the Year" award by Talent America and the Blair Hammond Award for "Best Male Musical Theatre Performer," will appear in the ever-popular Broadway musical, "Forever Plaid," at the STONEHAM THEATRE (395 Main Street, Stoneham, MA - 781-279-2200), beginning September 7th and continuing through the 30th. The easy feel and optimistic atmosphere of the years of Dwight Eisenhower's first term as President are recreated on stage, as well as the lush sound of early "Fifties" harmony groups, such as The Four Freshmen, Four Lads and Four Aces.

Tickets for "Forever Plaid," priced at $25 and $35 per performance for adults (depending upon seat location), are available by visiting The Stoneham Theatre box office Monday through Saturday, from noon until 5:00 pm or by phone. (Call for exact dates and show times)

Subtitled, "The Heavenly Musical Hit," "Forever Plaid" is the story of a barbershop-dimensioned quartet of nerds who meet each other in the high school audio-visual club and decide to try their hands at four-part harmonies, using the various hits of the day as the jumping-off point for their sophisticated brand of melodic invention. However, before they can take the stage for their "big breakthrough," they are killed by a bus load of teenagers on their way to the Ed Sullivan Show to witness the Beatles' debut. The play's premise, therefore, is that the members of the group (dubbed Sparky, Smudge, Jinx and Frankie by the show's writer, director and choreographer, Stuart Ross) have been reunited in heaven for one first-and-last gala performance.

What ensues is a lighthearted and far-ranging socio-musical potpourri that pays loving tribute to a brand of American popular sound that came into vogue at the close of World War II, enjoyed a glorious moment in the AM radio sun and was almost as quickly banished to a netherworld of nostalgia when the forces of rock 'n roll (in the parlance of "Forever Plaid" tantamount to a dirty word) swept across the airwaves. Here, however, is a landscape dominated by crooners such as Perry Como, who gets his own "Tribute to Mr. C" mini-medley. The bluest blues you're likely to hear are the moderately lowdown lines of "Tennessee" Ernie Ford's work song-cum-novelty number, "Sixteen Tons." Add to this kitschy relics like a cover of Johnnie Ray's hyper-emotional "Cry" and a spin around the Lawrence Welk-fashioned accordion sound of "Lady of Spain" (not to mention a full-fledged Ed Sullivan Show parody), and you've got the makings of a highly nostalgic, sometimes hilarious and always-tuneful musical experience.

Since its opening at Steve McGraw's Cabaret in Manhattan on May 20, 1990, "Forever Plaid" has enjoyed a virtually non-stop schedule with touring editions of the show criss-crossing the US and Europe. And the original cast recording, on RCA Victor, today enjoys a high-profile collectibility among Broadway-oriented record collectors.

In addition to de Lorenzo, The Stoneham's production of "Forever Plaid includes Bob Saoud, Michael David Brown and Doug Schapiro. "Forever Plaid" marks the beginning of The Stoneham Theatre's 2001/2002 Season. Upcoming attractions include the thriller, "Rope," a revival of "The Little Shop of Horrors" and a seasonal retelling of Charles Dickens classic, "A Christmas Carol."

Reopened in December of 2000, The Stoneham Theatre, 395 Main Street in Stoneham, Massachusetts, is a state-of-the-art performance space that accommodates 350, resulting in an extremely intimate viewing experience for all in attendance.

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