The Funtastics certainly earned their name with their performances of Broadway songs in Sechelt on Nov. 6 to 8. It’s not clear who was having more fun, the performers or the full houses of audience that filled the Seniors Activity Centre. There were many grey hairs in the audience on Friday, opening night, but the 18 seniors in the cast who make up the singing, joking group of performers demonstrated their youthful energy. This was not a professional cast; these were amateurs with a yen for the spotlight, and some were better than others. But everyone strived for their best and seemed to love what they were doing.
Highlights included a terrific rendition of Old Man River by Lester Harris in his clear, bass voice using an arrangement that didn’t strain the vocals on this powerful song. George Grafton acted as master of ceremonies and told a few funny jokes. But when he took centre stage to sing Mr. Cellophane from the production Chicago, he performed as if he had just arrived directly from The Great White Way.
Sharyn Snyder got right into the mood when she told everyone that you can’t get a man with a gun. John Duff recited Noel Coward’s Marvellous Party (or “mahvellous pahty”) for a change of pace from singing. Some of the best numbers came from a chorus line of soldiers singing Irving Berlin’s famous heartfelt cry: Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning. The chorus line appeared again on the Lambeth Walk with Tony Fraser leading a group of pearly Cockneys. Karen Rydde strutted and sang a dynamite Cabaret while her quickly growing fan club cheered. Joe D’Souza and Patrina Thomson combined on the lovely Sunrise, Sunset. Indian Love Call opted for light comedy when the handsome RCMP swain rode out on stage on a hobby horse.
Credit goes to the long serving producer, Maurice Farn, the Funtastics’ new musical director, Janet Oxley, and the man who has done so much for theatre on the Coast, director Bob Hunt. A huge crew of backstage, costumes, front of house, sound and lighting gave the show full production values.
And it was inspired to close the show with the trio of singers who gave us a Mamma Mia medley. Of course, we all danced, just like the dancing queen.
