BWW Reviews: IN MY LIFE Rocks the Warner Grand with a Musical Theater Tribute to the Beatles

In My Life - A Musical Theatre Tribute to the Beatles is the award-winning, smash hit musical biography of the Beatles as seen through the eyes of their manager Brian Epstein, featuring the live music of renowned tribute band, Abbey Road. Since opening in April 2009, the show has played to packed houses, including their latest performance at the Warner Grand Theater in San Pedro on February 23, 2013, produced by Tom Maher and Andy Nagle.

Four premier Beatles tribute musicians make up Abbey Road: Gregory Wilmot (John), Chris Paul Overall (Paul), Jesse Wilder (George), and Axel Clarke (Ringo). With their tight harmonies, flawless note-for-note renditions of Beatles hits, custom-tailored costumes, and precise attention to every detail, they recreate the magic, music, wit and charm of the Beatles, including the Fab Four's cheeky personalities, familiar onstage banter and patter between songs.

With manager Brian Epstein (the handsome Alxander Jon) serving as Narrator, In My Life takes the audience back to the day he walked into the Cavern Club, curious to find out why girls in his music store were asking for a record by the Beatles, an unknown group to him. After signing them, Epstein works his magic and in February 1964, Americans saw the Beatles for the first time on the Ed Sullivan Show, playing I Want to Hold Your Hand causing Beatlemania to sweep across America. Progressing through their various musical stages, the audience re-experiences the psychedelic era of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, the creation of the haunting Yesterday, and the raucous rock and roll of Revolution.

The show allows the audience to get a glimpse inside the world of the Beatles from their point of view, as well as hear some of the greatest songs ever written. And it's more than just a Beatles tribute concert. In My Life gives the audience a chance to "be there" at pivotal moments in the extraordinary career of the Beatles - from Liverpool's legendary Cavern Club, to the Ed Sullivan Show, their first American press conference,Shea Stadium's 50,000 + screaming fans, to their final live performance on the rooftop of their Apple Corp offices.

And who can pass up a chance to sing and dance to some of the greatest music ever written? I am sure, like this writer, many in the audience were at the live concerts back in the mid-60's and attending this concert had us all remembering the freedom and joy the music of the Beatles brought to all of our souls. I could not resist dancing in the aisles in my original tie-dye Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band t-shirt! YEAH YEAH YEAH

Upcoming Abbey Road Shows:

On Sunday, May 12 at Saint Rocke in Hermosa Beach, Abbey Road performs the Help! album cover-to-cover with a full set of other Beatles hits, complete with costume changes. Shows starts at 8pm and is 21+ only. Tickets are $18/$20 and may be purchased at www.saintrocke.com or (310) 371-0035.

On Saturday, June 1 at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, it's Beatles vs. Stones - A Musical Shoot Out, as Abbey Road and Jumping Jack Flash help decide the greatest debate in rock history - which band if best, the Beatles or the Stones? Show starts at 8pm and is for all ages. Tickets are $15/$18 and available at http://thecoachhouse.com