Pompano Players’ Beehive Satisfies As Musical Journey

By Aaron Krause

Pompano Beach is abuzz with activity as a sextet of talented performers energetically presents Beehive: The Original 60s Musical. This nostalgic musical retrospective of the 1960s, presented by Pompano Players, runs for one more weekend at the Pompano Beach Cultural Arts Center.

The show is a plotless, song-driven jukebox musical revue. It captures the “Swinging Sixties” from the innocence and playfulness early on to the cultural unrest, female empowerment, and activism at the decade’s end. The show is more of a musical scrapbook than a dramatic piece with character depth.

The performers are Annaya Charlicia, Zoe Kanter, Noelle Nicholas, Addison Schuh, Rachel Whittington, and Anneliese Wolfanger. A live band of musicians accompany them. Under musical director/keyboardist Elijah Gee, the band comprises guitarist Mike Haddox, drummer Nick Trotogott, bassist Andres Aybar, tenor saxophonist Maureen Amaral, and trumpetist Adrian Camacho.

The show’s director deftly helps the performers capture the correct tone for each number. Early songs emphasize the fun and innocence of the early 60s with songs such as “The Name Game.” But as the decade progresses and conflict and activism increase, the tone darkens with defiant numbers such as “You Don’t Own Me.”

Chances are, audiences – especially those of a certain age – will recognize the songs from their familiar melodies, which are consistently audible.

However, spoken words and specific lyrics are harder to comprehend, likely due to a sound system that needs fixing. While the show doesn’t feature a plot, performers offer brief spoken introductions to songs.

Early on, the performers are not the only ones enjoying the fun – chances are, audiences are also. For instance, one of the first songs, “The Name Game,” involves performers approaching audience members and asking for their name (if you’re shy, you may want to sit in the back). “The Name Game,” by Shirley Ellis, based on a game she played as a child, is a rhyming game that creates variations on a person’s name. For instance, “Katie” becomes: “Katie, Katie, bo-batie, Bonana-fanna fo-fatie Fee fi mo-matie Katie!” While little interaction occurred between the performers and the audience during “The Name Game,” the cast appropriately captured a lighthearted mood.

Another highlight is the lively number “You Can’t Hurry Love,” released in 1966 by The Supremes. Less than two decades later, British singer and drummer Phil Collins sang “You Can’t Hurry Love” in 1982, releasing it as a single from his album “Hello, I Must Be Going!”

The show’s title likely stems from one of the songs included in the program: “The Beehive Dance,” from Beehive: The 60s Musical, a jukebox revue celebrating female artists of the 1960s. Also, the beehive hairstyle was a significant cultural symbol for the 1960s. It represented the era’s “big hair” trend, a shift toward bolder fashion and evolving female identity.

Another highlight is an intense, yet believable rendition of “You Don’t Own Me” sung by Wolfanger. Her defiant tone deftly captures the song’s spirit. It is widely celebrated as an early feminist anthem. The lyrics feature a woman asserting her independence. She tells him he doesn’t own her and can’t boss her around or “put her on display.”

Other than the performers and musicians, little else is on display onstage during the show. There’s enough room for the performers to execute choreographer Briley Crisafi’s animated dance moves, and Lowell Richard’s lighting allows us to clearly see the cast members. The lighting also highlights Penelope Wiliams’ appropriately colorful costumes.

From the ensemble’s vitality to the show’s nostalgia, Pompano Players’ mounting of Beehive: The 60s Musical satisfies as a memorable journey to the past. Further, the musical revue is a worthy progression of songs mirroring the decade’s cultural shift, from playful innocence to unapologetic activism.

Beehive: The 60s Musical from Pompano Players through Jan. 18 at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center, 50 W. Atlantic Blvd. in Pompano Beach. 7 p.m. Jan. 16, 2 and 7 p.m. Jan. 17, and 2 p.m. Jan. 18. Tickets $55 and up. Visit https://www.pompanobeacharts.org/events/beehive.