The music of the Beach Boys and hits like “Surfing USA,” “Barbara Ann,” and “Surfing Safari” certainly herald the arrival of summer. These songs and more kick off the Florida Studio Theater’s summer cabaret season with the musical revue “The Surfer Boys.”
The Beach Boys “produced some great music,” said Brian Noonan, who developed the concert show as well as its early hit “Jersey Tenors” and its sequel in FST’s Summer Cabaret series. said. “The Beatles were growing in popularity, but I think they were making some really great music back then, in the mid-1960s.”
Noonan produced “The Surfer Boys” in 2012 and toured the US for several years in various versions and incarnations before his production company “failed”. He regrets not keeping up with it. But Shaw returns with some of his favorite music performed mostly by musical theater veterans.
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Rolling Stone magazine ranked “God Only Knows” number 25 and “Good Vibrations” number 6 on their 2004 list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. On the magazine’s 2021 list, “God Only Knows” is number 11 and “Good Vibrations” is number 53.
“I agree with Rolling Stone,” he said. Noonan also appreciates the “tonic and blue note approach” heard on “Don’t Worry Baby” and “Good Vibrations”. And he says that “I Know There’s an Answer” is “very poetically written.”
Most of the band’s hits were written by Brian Wilson, who formed the group alongside his brothers Dennis and Karl Wilson, cousin Mike Love, and family friend Al Jardine.
Since its formation in 1961, the group has been known for its unique vocal harmonies and youthful spirit.
Noonan said the group’s 1966 album, Pet Sounds, “will go down as one of the greatest albums ever made, not only because of its wonderful harmonies, but because of its haunting solos.” rice field.
The album featured such timeless classics as ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice’, ‘Sloop John B’ and ‘God Only Knows’ among a dozen songs.
Six performers will appear in the production for the duration of the performance. Kenneth Queenie Francour, who starred Joseph DePietro (Broadway Phantom of the Opera veteran) and Michael Jane Walker all summer and first month in FST’s The Wanderers and Bruno Vida. , toured with the musical Jersey Boys. In July, JD Daw and Brandon Lambert starred in “Jersey Tenors.” ‘Part II’ at FST resumes until his August 13th.
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The show’s audience is often older than Noonan’s other works.
“I don’t think the Beach Boys have had as much of an impact on young audiences as other groups of their time, which is really sad. I don’t know if they were less embraced by popular culture and cinema than by The Beatles. hmm,” he said. “It’s such a shame. I have three kids aged 14, 8 and 6 and they love the revving sound of the ‘Little Deuce Coupe’ car. But when I played “Good Vibrations” for them, they wouldn’t listen. ”
The show’s main goal, he said, is “to get composers and creators to do the right thing.” We don’t like getting creative licenses for stuff like this. Music is the most important thing. ”
Audiences respond to all kinds of music, but “Barbara Ann gets a very intuitive response,” he said. That “Bababa, Bababaraan” really excites people. ”
The production kicks off a summer cabaret series that also includes Divas Three, a celebration of female vocalists from the 1960s to 1990s, and Creedence Clearwater Remix!, which focuses on Creedence Clearwater Revival songs.
“The Surfer Boys”
Created by Brian Noonan. It runs from June 13th to August. 13 Goldstein Cabaret at the Florida Studio Theater, 1241 N. Palm Ave., Sarasota. Tickets range from $18 to $39. 941-366-9000; Florida Studio Theater.org
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