‘50s come to life in ‘The Taffetas’

Friday, June 20, 2003 | 9:23 a.m.

What: "The Taffetas."

When: 8 p.m. today, 6:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. (Additional performances June 26-29, July 10-13 and July 17-20).

Where: Las Vegas Little Theatre, 3844 Schiff Drive.

Tickets: $18: $17 for students and seniors ($25 for Saturday's special gala performance).

Information: (702) 362-7996.

With big hair, big hearts and big ambitions, four girls from Muncie, Ind., travel to New York City to appear on a 1950s television variety show in Rick Lewis' "The Taffetas," opening tonight at Las Vegas Little Theatre.

Donning petticoats and bouffant hair, the quartet sing harmonized hits with the hope that Ed Sullivan will be watching.

"Old Cape Cod," "Johnny Angel" and "Where the Boys Are" are just a few of the more than 40 songs featured.

But the throwback to the '50s isn't only in song, however.

"We've tried to authenticate everything," director Terrance McKerrs said recently between rehearsals. "That includes the set colors you would see on television back then, like the wonderful aqua pink and all those petticoats that were so big they would knock over your glasses."

Even the dance steps, he said, were recreated with "a little tongue-in-cheek action."

"We've tweaked it a little bit so it becomes humorous for us. It's like, 'Yeah, their hair was really that big.' "

Characters are played by local actresses Judy Lombino, Kate Harris, Faith Solomon and Kellie Karl, who string the songs together with commercials for the fictitious Gallery Beauty Products and chat with the audience.

"They talk about their boyfriends and how they got to New York," McKerrs said. "It becomes that hometown feel. Cousin Buddy is on the drums and Uncle Chester is on the bass."

To direct "The Taffetas," McKerrs traveled from Topeka, Kan., where he owns Terrance McKerrs' Theatre Pub. Though it's his ninth presentation of "The Taffetas," his enthusiasm for the show has hardly worn thin.

"It's a pretty exciting production," McKerrs said. "I didn't grow up in the '50s, but my parents weaned me on the '50s stuff. I remember all those steps that my mother taught me."

After learning of "The Taffetas," McKerrs tracked down Lewis to get permission to do the show.

"I loved it because of the '50s and the music that represented the last of the innocence," McKerrs said.

The characters, who are appearing on the television show for the first time, are equally as fresh as the era.

"Before, they only appeared at the opening of the bowling alley or the opening of the IGA," McKerrs said. "Singing 'Mr. Sandman' got them their first contract with Muncie Rock and Sand Company singing the company jingle on the radio."

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