30 Days of NYMF Day 14: Go-Go Beach

Go-Go Beach
by John Wimbs 

Come on, kids!

Grab a towel and run

to the way out, grooviest

place in the sun! 

A beach party musical?

Yes. 

The original inspiration for Go-Go Beach came from the authors' love of the wildly popular beach party movies of the mid-1960s. The nature of the boy-meets-girl stories set against the backdrop of the surf, sand, pop music, dancing and crazy fashions make these films a natural source of material to adapt for a nostalgic musical comedy with a wide appeal. 

She's a beauty. She's a queen.

She's the prettiest little thing

I've ever seen-seen-seen. 

A bikini's not a place a chick can hide –

but it ain't about the wrapping,

it's the thing that fits inside!

But, early on in the development of the material we all came to realize that simply re-creating a beach party movie on stage wasn't going to be enough of a reason for this piece to exist.  When we began to explore themes of the '60s, we realized that we had an opportunity to tell a touching coming-of-age story not only about the teens on this beach, but about the coming-of-age of an entire generation.   

In San Francisco

there's a brand new beat.

You can walk to the rhythm

of your own two feet. 

In San Francisco

you've got something to say.

And if you don't,

you can always say

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" 

The show became a metaphor for the extreme cultural shift of perspective that occurred at the time – as a reaction to the events that were taking place in America and around the world.  The show became a story about bigger ideas that are universal and timeless… and relevant to the world we live in today.

I want to find the seekers.

I'm not the only one.

There's no time now for sleeping.

Our journey's just begun. 

Open up your eyes,

there's something happening out there.

Can you feel the magic in the air?

On one level, Go-Go Beach is a sexy 60's pop fantasy with some killer songs and great dance numbers that is a wonderful ensemble showcase for some amazing young talent. But, at its core, Go-Go Beach is a story about empowerment and love, and the value of true friendship. It carries a gentle and important message of peace, and it has a heart big enough to transform audiences.

It's all about love.

Can you feel it?

Visit www.nymf.org for tickets and more information.