Forever Plaid
By Stuart Ross
Once upon a time, there were four guys (Sparky, Smudge, Jinx and Frankie) who loved to sing. They all met in high school, when they joined the audiovisual club (1956). Discovering they shared an affection for music and entertaining, they got together and dreamed of becoming like their idols - The Four Aces, The Four Lads, The Four Freshmen, The Hi-Los and The Crew Cuts. They rehearsed in the basement of Smudge's family's plumbing supply company. It was here they became Forever Plaid - a name that connects the continuation of traditional values of family, home, and harmony. Although rock 'n roll was racing down the fast lane like a candy apple "vette", they believed in their music. As their sound developed, they sang at family gatherings, fund-raisers, and eventually graduated to supermarket openings and proms. They had little time for romance or leisure for they supported their fantasy by holding down day jobs - Frankie was in dental supplies, Smudge was in bathroom fixtures, Sparky was in better dresses. They devoted themselves to singing nights and weekends. Then, finally, they landed their first big gig at the Airport Hilton cocktail bar - The Fusel Lounge.
February 9, 1964
En route to pick up their custom made plaid tuxedos, they were slammed broadside by a school bus filled with eager Catholic teens. The teens were on their way to witness the Beatles make their U.S. television debut on the Ed Sullivan show and miraculously escaped uninjured. The members of Forever Plaid were killed instantly. It is at this moment, when their careers and lives ended, that the story of FOREVER PLAID begins.
Presented at the Beaver Dam Community Theatre, 219 N. Spring St.
Performances November 12-21, 1999:
Thur Fri Sat Sun November 12
8 pmNovember 13
8 pmNovember 14
1 and 8 pmNovember 18
8 pmNovember 19
8 pmNovember 20
8 pmNovember 21
6 pm
Tickets go on sale October 25th at Rechek's Food Pride, or call 887-9907. All seats are $9.00.
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