Timber Lake Playhouse, the professional summer theatre of Northwest Illinois, will present “Forever Plaid,” beginning Thursday, August 16, through Sunday, August 26, 2018. The Playhouse is located at 8215 Black Oak Road in rural Mount Carroll, IL, where you “Come for the show, and stay for the experience!” “Forever Plaid” is TLP’s final show of the Summer Subscription Series.
When four young singers are killed in a car crash, they posthumously take the stage for one final gig, in this goofy, 1950’s nostalgia trip. Once upon a time, Sparky, Smudge, Jinx, and Frankie discovered they shared a love for music. They got together to become their idols–The Four Freshman, The Hi-Lo’s, and The Crew Cuts. Rehearsing in the basement of Smudge’s family’s supply company, they became Forever Plaid. On the way to their first big gig, the Plaids are broadsided by a school bus and killed instantly. It is at this moment their careers and lives end. However, this is the moment that the story of “Forever Plaid” begins.
To purchase tickets, visit the TLP website, or call the Box Office at 815-244-2035. The Box Office opens at 10:00 a.m. and closes at 3:00 p.m., seven days a week, and until intermission of the final show on show days.
The production is directed and choreographed by Gregory Daniels, who is making his Timber Lake Playhouse debut. “In ‘Forever Plaid,’ the glorious music and blend of voices takes us blissfully back to a time of innocence and a celebration of the ‘good guys.’ Along with getting a second chance to do what [they] love best,” states Daniels.
The Plaids incude
- Francis, played by Trevor Vanderzee
- Jinx, played by Ryan Wagner
- Sparky, played by Max Bahneman
- Smudge, played by Ben Senneff.
They sing in close harmony, squabbling boyishly over the smallest intonations, and executing their charmingly outlandish choreography with overzealous precision. The Plaids are a guaranteed smash, with a program of beloved songs and delightful patter, that keeps audiences rolling the aisles and humming along to some of the great, nostalgic, pop hits of the 1950’s.
The Deck Series for “Forever Plaid” will feature food, drink, and entertainment by the TLP Staff:
- Executive Director Dan Danielowski
- Artistic Director Paul Stancato
- Sound Designer Jacob Almanzar.
There may be a guest appearance by the Plaids themselves. The Deck Series runs both weekends before the performances of “Forever Plaid.”
Don’t miss “Beehive–The 60’s Musical” opening Friday, September 7, for two weekends, and “Heartache Tonight,” an Eagles Tribute Concert on Saturday, September 29.
Saturday nights in October feature Timber Lake Terror–a Haunted Experience, complete with haunted trails, haunted houses, and an Escape Room.