The Arts Club Theatre Company presents Red Rock Diner now through Aug. 2 at the Granville Island Stage, 1585 Johnston St., Vancouver. Tickets from $29, at artsclub.com or 604-687-1644.
Hair was greased back, soda pop was in high demand and DJ Red Robinson was spinning the latest hits over the airwaves.
The teenage world of 1957 Vancouver is the setting for this summer's Arts Club Theatre production of Red Rock Diner, a musical revue that follows a group of leather-jacket-wearing, pony-tail-swinging, milkshake-sipping youth who are coming of age around the same time the city's red-headed radio broadcast legend got his start.
"All of our characters are based on pop culture stars at the time," says Anna Kuman, who plays nice-gal Connie, a hybrid of Connie Francis and Sandra Dee. "She's very sweet and she's the cheerleading captain and everybody's friend."
Her female counterpart, Venus, played by Robyn Wallis, is more the blonde bombshell, Marilyn-esque archetype.
"She's a little bit more sassy and forward than Connie.
Connie is a little bit shy and naïve. But they're good friends."
Together with the leading males - played by Tafari Anthony, Colin Sheen and Zachary Stevenson - the five friends sing and dance their way through 44 rock 'n' roll hits of the era, including "Great Balls of Fire," "Rockin' Robin" and "Stand by Me." A young Robinson, played by Neil Minor, lays down the tunes and introduces his listeners to a whole new genre of music.
Red Rock Diner was created for the Arts Club in 1997 by Dean Regan, who went to high school with Robinson, and featured a relatively unknown Michael Bublé in the original cast. This reprisal is directed and choreographed by Valerie Easton and promises to be as high energy as the original.
"It's a very sweaty show," Kuman says, explaining the five main characters are on stage singing solos or providing backup for most of the night.
At 26 years old, Kuman, a graduate of Capilano University's musical theatre program, may not have been alive to listen to Robinson in his early days, but she will attest that the oldies are still goodies.
"Even people who grew up after the '50s and maybe don't know that much about Red Robinson, all of that music, it's got such a heartbeat to it that everyone just wants to stand up and dance and sing along," she says. "The energy that we get from the audience during the performances is really amazing - it keeps us going."
For Vancouverites who did grow up listening to the radio in the late '50s, Red Rock Diner should conjure up some fond musical memories.
"I think that it's very nostalgic," Kuman says.
Robinson broke into broadcast in 1954 while he was still in high school and became the first DJ to play rock 'n' roll music in Vancouver. He started at top-40 station CKWX in 1957 where he met the likes of Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley. In recognition of his long and influential career, Robinson, a former longtime Deep Cove resident, has been elected to the B.C. Entertainment Hall of Fame, the Canadian Broadcast Hall of Fame and the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. Recently, he made time to come out to a few Red Rock Diner rehearsals to chat with the cast.
"It's been really awesome to hear about his anecdotes and just how the music industry has changed since then," Kuman says.
Although the show is a musical revue with little storyline to speak of, Kuman says Red Rock Diner isn't just a retro play list.
"It's more than just a nostalgia jukebox musical," she says. "I think that people will be surprised when they come and see how much fun it is, and I think that it's a great show for all ages."
That includes today's generation of teens, who may be able to relate to what Kuman believes is the "most touching message" in the show.
"No matter what happens in the music industry, it's the spirit of youth that keeps rock 'n' roll going," she says.
