Review: A TASTE OF THINGS TO COME Cooks Up Frothy Musical Fun

While Debra Barsha and Hollye Levin's A TASTE OF THINGS TO COME isn't the first musical to contrast the accepted female gender roles of the 1950s with the liberated revolution of the 1960s (Off-Broadway's second visit from THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES is still running at the Kirk.) the York's fun and frothy new entry features a dynamite cast and enough tuneful cleverness for a brightly entertaining evening.

The first half of director and choreographer Lorin Latarro's buoyant production takes us to 1957, in the Winnetka, Illinois kitchen of the show's narrator, Joan (a housewife-chic Paige Faure), who hosts a weekly cooking club with her three best pals. The perky, but nervous Connie (Autumn Hurlbert), is about to give birth to her first child. Seasoned "baby machine" Dottie's (Allison Guinn) life revolves around being a housewife and trying to lose weight with the latest fad diets. Agnes (sexy fireball Janet Dacal), the only single member of the group, is looking for a life of thrills and big accomplishments.

The thin plot has the quartet whipping up recipes in hopes to grab the $50,000 grand prize in a Betty Crocker cooking contest, but it's just an excuse to explore the dynamics of their friendships and to segue into episodes involving advice columnist Dear Abby, the 25-cent pocket books with essential tips for ladies penned by Joe Bonomo and a peek at the scandalous "Kinsey Report On Human Female Sexuality."

On a more serious note, it's revealed that one of the group is involved in a romance that is illegal in most of the country.

In the second act, set in 1967, Joan's kitchen is a bit sleeker and, after disbanding years ago, our host has invited the gang over for what she hope to be a well-received announcement.

Naturally, the new decade has brought about changes and new career opportunities, allowing the women to feel they have more control over their futures instead of conforming to society's mores.

Also revealed in the second act is music director Gillian Berkowitz's four-piece all-woman band, hidden behind Steven C. Kemp's set for the first half. The peppy score imitates the varied sounds of 1950s pop, evolving into back-beat driven 60s rock.

A TASTE OF THINGS TO COME may not be the most sophisticated entertainment in town, but with its modest production requirements and lively spirit, it should wind up becoming a popular choice for regional theatre companies across the country.

To post a comment, you must register and login.