Set in 1965, the first act of the play “Shangri-La!” focuses on the lives of five young women (Andre Lahti, Natalie Oravec, Colleen Mallon, Elise Medina and Sylvia Smith) who are fascinated by the girl group the Shangri-La’s (“The Leader of The Pack”). Determined to enter a talent contest in which they plan to pay tribute to their favorite group, the women work at perfecting their routines and costumes. When young Louise meets a boy named Charlie (Bret Pishotta), she suffers from a deep heartbreak when he joins the Navy and is shipped off to Vietnam.
The second act moves forward to 1995 when the five daughters (Julie Levinson, Amanda Krupman, Tina Schmidt, Paola Valdes and Michelle Ivy) of the women in act one are reunited due to a tragedy. While sorting through her mother’s belongings in the family attic, Lily discovers her mother’s passion for the Shangri-La’s and her deep love for Charlie. The five daughters quickly decide to surprise their mothers with their own version of the hit song “The Leader of the Pack.”
The show is filled with original recordings by the Shangri-La’s including “Give Him A Great Big Kiss,” “I Can Never Go Home Anymore” and “Remember (Walking In The Sand)”. Playwright David-Matthew Barnes developed the script from extensive interviews with the band’s original producer, George “Shadow” Morton. “Shangri-La!” received a world premiere in California where it received three consecutive productions due to audience demand.
The Chicago premiere of “Shangri-La!” is a nostalgic and touching mother-daughter comedy written, directed and choreographed by Elly Award Winning playwright Barnes. “Shangri-La!” runs Sept. 21 through Oct. 13. Performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings begin promptly at 8 p.m. In addition, there will be Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. and Sunday evening performances at 7:30 p.m. The Dorothy Nickle Performing Arts Center is located in Chicago at 4227 N. Lincoln Ave., south of Montrose Ave. and north of Irving Park Rd. (formerly the Phoenix Ascending Theatre). Plenty of street parking is available. All tickets are $12. Reservations can be made by calling (773) 784-0344. For more information, check www.dnpac.com.
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