On Friday night I'll be at the opening of "New Wrinkles." Some Beehive readers might wonder why I spend so much time writing about this annual senior variety show. I'll give you a good reason: It's a genuine phenomenon in the Fresno area. We're talking about 17 shows -- starting Friday night and continuing through June 14 -- at the Fresno City College theater. And I'm betting that many of those performances will be sold out.
Until I saw "New Wrinkles" in person, in fact, I was pretty skeptical. How much fun could it be watching a bunch of 55-plus performers doing their thing on stage? But when I finally caught a performance, I understood. We're talking about striking a vein of pure performing-arts joy. Sure, there will always be some in the 75-member cast who might not be ready for Broadway. A strong voice might have faltered just slightly over the years; a toned leg might not leap quite as high as it once could. But there's such commitment, such enthusiasm, such exaltation in living that it's positively infectious. I wouldn't miss it.
This year's theme is "Love and Marriage: For Better, For Worse," and for the first-act finale the women in the cast gather for a massive wedding party.
And just how do you outfit all those brides on a budget? Most found their own dresses at thrift stores. The styles run the gamut of the ages from old and ornate to modern fitted. One of the women wore her daughter's wedding gown.
At a publicity photo shoot, 17 of the cast members gathered to show off their gowns. Here's the touching thing: Organizers say that many of the "brides" were reminded of a time when wartime realities meant that you couldn't have a big, fancy wedding. For some, these turned out to be their first formal wedding gowns.
Kudos to this spunky group of performers for gathering, rehearsing and performing. It is one of those experiences that EVERYONE in and around this area should take in. Younger performers especially could learn a thing or two about the joy of performing from this annual show.
And big Kudos to you Donald for highlighting them. Like you I had was hesitant until I finally caught one of their show a few years back... and like you I came away with a huge and wide smile.