Retelling of Beatles story no easy task on stage

When Brian Epstein first saw The Beatles playing at the Cavern Club in 1961 he wasn’t overly impressed. The four members were dressed in black leather jeans and leather jackets and looked completely out of control.

“I was actually quite put off by the Beatles. They wore black leather jackets, smoked as they played and generally acted unprofessional on stage,” said Epstein. “But they gave a captivating performance and had an amazing ability to connect with the audience - especially the girls.”

So begins “In My Life,” the smash hit, musical biography of the Beatles told through the eyes of Epstein and featuring the live music of accomplished Beatles tribute, Abbey Road. The nationally touring musical plays the Pittsburg California Theatre on Tuesday, October 21 at 7:30 pm. Sets such as the Cavern Club are established by images projected on a large screen behind the musicians and actors. The show has been touring for five years with a critic for the Orange County Register at one point declaring, “If you see one tribute show, see this one --smart and loads of fun.” The show is widely considered by industry insiders to be the most unique Beatles show in decades.

The task of trying to write a script telling the history of the Beatles from their point of view – a glimpse inside the world of the Fab Four – was a difficult undertaking. Producers Tom Maher and Andy Nagle spent six months reading everything they could find that was written about the Beatles, but there is so much discrepancy about what actually happened behind the scenes.

“When we found the same account of facts told by several different people, we placed weight on those story lines,” said trial-lawyer-turned-music-producer Nagle. “One of the problems was that even the Beatles themselves changed their stories over time.”

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, Shea Stadium’s 50,000 + screaming fans and their final live performance on the rooftop of their Apple Corp offices.

“It’s nice to learn some things about the Beatles that people may not have known, but in the end the audience really wants to hear the music,” said Maher. “So the band plays 33 Beatles hits during the show.”

The cast rehearsed Beatles music for six months and then performed Fab Four tribute concerts in clubs and bars for over a year under the name “Abbey Road” before the producers began booking the musical.

“The audience knows every vocal harmony and guitar riff,” said Maher, who was on the management team of hard rock band Guns ‘N Roses and currently manages world class bands such as Motorhead and Anthrax. “There is absolutely no room for error performing Beatles music live.”

The band features Chris Paul Overall (“Paul”), Nathaniel Bott (“John”), Jesse Wilder (“George”) and Axel Clarke (“Ringo”). Brian Epstein is played by Murphy Martin. The production includes multimedia, period costumes and vintage instruments. Cast members in their 20s and early 30s were selected to be age-appropriate for the Beatles.

Be transported on an incredible journey and relive how four young lads from Liverpool were propelled to the dizzy heights of fame and fortune from their humble childhood beginnings and hear some of the greatest music ever written on Tuesday, October 21 at the Pittsburg California Theatre.

CALENDAR LISTING:

In My Life - A Musical Theatre Tribute to The Beatles is the award-winning musical biography of The Beatles through the eyes of manager Brian Epstein and features the live music of renowned tribute band Abbey Road. The show is widely considered by industry insiders to be the most unique Beatles show in decades. The multi-media musical plays at the California Theatre in Old Town Pittsburg on October 21 at 7:30 pm.

Tickets are $25 - $35 and may be purchased online at www.PittsburgCaliforniaTheatre.com, by phoning 925.427.1611 or by visiting the theatre box office. The box office is open Tuesday - Friday from noon - 5 pm and one hour before shows. The California Theatre is located at 351 Railroad Avenue in Old Town Pittsburg 94565. The show is appropriate for all ages.

And here is some additional information about “In My Life”:

“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 and featuring the live music of renowned tribute band Abbey Road. This family friendly musical tale is widely considered by industry insiders to be the most unique Beatles show in decades.

“The show delivers!” said the L.A. Times. “If you see one tribute show, see this one – smart and loads of fun,” said the O.C. Register. “This is the ticket for you,” said the Idaho Statesman. “The most original of all the shows on the Beatles,” San Diego Theatre Review.

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, Shea Stadium’s 50,000 + screaming fans and their final live performance on the rooftop of their Apple Corp offices. With manager Brian Epstein serving as Narrator, “In My Life” 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.

“In My Life” takes the audience back to February 1964, when Americans saw the Beatles for the first time on the Ed Sullivan Show, playing I Want to Hold Your Hand. 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.