Encore's 'Forever Plaid' Hits a High Note

The production of Forever Plaid is nearly flawless. 

The audience seemed to really enjoy the show on opening night, April 22, including all of the interaction with the cast. For their part, cast members took great advantage of the laughs written into the script and even added a few of their own.  The four "Plaids"—Steve DeBruyne (Frankie), Phill Harmer (Smudge), Sebastian Gerstner (Sparky) and Leo Daignault (Jinx)—really made this show their own. They also took advantage of every skill they had—even playing a few instruments.

Daignault, with his wonderfully awkward facial expressions (think Jim Carrey at his best) and his perfectly on-pitch "money notes," really added something special to the show. His performance of "Cry" gave me goose bumps, and "Lady of Spain"—even with all of the craziness going on behind him—was perfect, right down to his accordion playing.

"Sixteen Tons/Chain Gang" was another high point for the cast. DeBruyne and Harmer show off their voices in this number. Harner's low bass voice is well utilized, and I really enjoyed the bottle playing. Gerstner's character was adorable, like the little brother everyone wants. In addition, Brian E. Buckner (conductor/piano) and Billy Satterwhite (bass) provided comedy and music throughout the show. 

There were a few small costume glitches and a stage light that seemed to be out, as one out of the four Plaids faces was often dark, but the cast carried on and didn't let anything stop the performance. Forever Plaid is great for families and will have you humming its contagious tunes for days. For ticket information, contact The Encore Musical Theatre Company at 734-268-6200 or visit www.theencoretheatre.org.  Performances run through May 15.