New West Theatre celebrates the ’60s in Bandstand. But while most people think of hippies when they think of  the ’60s, there wasn’t much of the counter-culture reflected in the show.

 They began the show by introducing the cast through the popular children’s game , “the name game,” featuring quintessential ham Scott Carpenter getting everything wrong and Erica Hunt playing the straight woman.

 They covered the rest of the “square”  ’60s world pretty thoroughly including a dazzling tribute to the easygoing California vibe of the Beach Boys.

There also wasn’t any Elvis to be seen or heard though they covered all phases of Elvis in last summer‘s ’50s themed show.

There was a fascinating Beatles tribute, featuring cardboard instruments taped to four different microphones through which the male cast members alternated, taking turns singing lead, while the others mimed playing the instruments air-band style. It was well done, but I’ve been spoiled for anybody else trying to cover Beatles songs since seeing the Beatles tribute at the Yates a couple weeks ago.

 And while many of the previous shows have ended up being the Erica Hunt show (not that there’s anything wrong with the multi-talented Erica Hunt showing her many aspects) , everybody shone in Bandstand, particularly the new cast members.

Shakespeare is back in Galt Gardens this summer.
 A Midsummer Night’s Dream begins on Friday, July 6 featuring a big cast of 22 actors including members from the University  of Lethbridge drama department, graduates and community members.

A Midsummer’s Nights Dream is unabashedly a love story.

“It’s just a great play. There’s love, forbidden love, love denied and love being chased after. It’s very lovey dovey,” laughed director Andrew Legg.

“And there’s blue collar workers putting on a play within a play,” he continued.
While people expect Shakespeare plays to be long night, Legg found a good adaptation and trimmed the cast down to 22.

“There’s a lot more fairies in the original,” he said.
“I found a really good adaptation. It’s about one and a half hours long,” said Legg who is enjoying tackling Shakespeare.

 It will run at 7 p.m. beginning July 6, then every Thursday and Friday after that.
“It’s a professional adaptation of the play. It’s still Shakespeare’s dialogue, but some of the scenes have been trimmed for action.”

“Midsummers Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s more easily accessible plays,” she said.
The performance takes place rain or shine.

“Unless there is danger to the public and  actors, the show goes on rain or shine,” Connolly said.
“It’s every week except Friday the 13th. Because people think actors are so superstitious. Actually somebody else booked it then, but they don’t need to know that it’s not because of superstition,” she chuckled.

 Veteran actress Danielle Gurr gets to play the mischievous fairy Puck.
“I’m really liking it. It’s very fun. Puck is a very mischievous character ,” said Gurr, who was in several University of Lethbridge productions including Hair and even a September 2011Theatre Xtras production of Romeo and Juliet — sort of.
“ It was R and J which was based on Romeo and Juliet,” she said.

New West Theatre is embracing the ’60s in their new production “Bandstand,” which is a nod to the variety shows of the 1960s.
 Director Jay Whitehead has enjoyed working with the cast and crew to represent the decade as accurately as possible.

“The first thing we noticed about the ’60s is just how diverse the musical genres were,” he said.

“So we start with traditional ’50s classic pop rock, then the British Invasion, then folk hymns of the love generation. There is also a little bit of psychedelic rock and roll,” he said, adding they have tried to touch on all of the iconic songs of the ’60s.

“We wanted to represent all sides of the swinging ’60s,” he said.

“The biggest challenge was finding a sense of cohesion and representing the decade truthfully,” he said adding he wanted to capture the essence of the era’s freedom of expression.

“Bandstand” not only examines  all the eras of ’60s music, but  the quirky comedy of it too.
“It’s the music,” enthused New West Theatre veteran Erica Hunt of her favourite part of the show.
“Last summer we did the ’50s. This year it is the ’60s. And the the ’60s were so influential,” she said
“So there is late ’50s style pop and rock and roll, the British Invasion, the peace protests, hippies and there’s even some psychedelia and some Motown,” Hunt continued.

 She is enjoying the show’s concept, which incorporates a stage set up like the set of the old Laugh-In variety show.
“It’s a big tribute to the variety shows of the ’60s which were so popular in that era,” she said.

“ But the music is incredible. You’ll find something for everyone,” she said praising the cast and crew for their work.
“The people are terrific. It’s going to give people that nostalgic feeling,” she enthused.