Frank’s cast, band revitalize McCartney songs
Frank’s cast, band revitalize McCartney songs
Written by: Warren Gerds
Focusing on a single icon for the first time, Let Me Be Frank Productions puts its own appealing spins on songs of Paul McCartney in the new show, “Beer & Wings.”
All but one of the songs are from McCartney’s days with the band Wings from the 1970s into the early ’80s. They’re pop, with catchy lyrics and lots of infectious musical gismos.
Many have long intros that are kind of a drag on the pacing as the cast wants get to the meat of the song that fits into the oddball story. This happens a lot.
The show includes five takes on McCartney’s singing voice in lead solos. Sampler: Frank Hermans applies his falsetto in “My Love.” Paul Evansen is kinetic in “Maybe I’m Amazed.”  David Gusloff is colorful in “Just Another Day.”  Pat Hibbard is the rocker in “Hi, Hi, Hi.”  Lisa Andre soars in “Say Say Say.”  The sensational Amy Riemer ignites “Coming Up.”  Tom Verbrick adds specialty voicing.
The band — Dennis Panneck, guitar; Heath Hermans, drums; and Tony Pilz, keyboards — recreates a multitude of Wings’ shifting sounds. Panneck and Pilz carry featured solo spots.
Add light shows and motion to many songs, and the Meyer Theatre stage radiates energy. The show ends with a big production number, with nifty choreography and specialty singing.
In the Hermans-Hibbard story, Evansen plays McCartney with a speaking voice and manner suited to the real guy. References to “my lovely wife, Linda,” sweeten him, too.
To protect him from a death threat, McCartney is whisked away to Junior’s Farm in northern England. He’s guarded by three people from Scotland Yard (Hermans, Riemer and Andre) and an FBI agent (Gusloff). A couple of bunglers (Verbrick and Hibbard) plan to “shoot” McCartney — as in, photograph him for a scandal sheet.
The story serves its purpose — get into songs to showcase the fine set of singers and get to give-and-take moments for goofiness among the characters. Much is fun.
