Norris Theatre swings with madcap musical The Andrews Brothers

The Norris Center for the Performing Arts escapes to the South Pacific this spring with the hit musical comedy, "The Andrews Brothers," which plays for nine performances, April 29 through May 15. The show is a hilarious salute to USO entertainers, featuring a non-stop cavalcade of musical memories from the 1940s. It's filled with madcap comedy, mistaken identities and old-fashioned romance, and stars David Engel, Larry Raben, Stan Chandler and Bets Malone.

Set in 1943, the show opens as the Andrews Sisters are forced to cancel a big USO concert on a South Pacific island army base. Rather than disappoint the troops, three stage hands, coincidentally named Andrews, conspire with the opening act, sassy pin-up girl Peggy Jones, to go on with the show. Masquerading as the Andrews Sisters, the intrepid trio dons dresses, wigs and high-heels to perform hysterical versions of such popular 1940s hits as "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar," "Ac-cent-chu-ate the Positive," "Slow Boat to China," "Mairzy Doats" and many more.

The songs in the show are framed with a laugh-filled book by Roger Bean who also created the long-running off-Broadway hit, "The Marvelous Wonderettes." More than 27 pop, patriotic, swing and novelty tunes from the war era give the musical the fast-paced energy of a high-spirited USO concert.

"The best way to describe 'The Andrews Brothers' is to imagine Bing Crosby and Bob Hope in a road movie of 'Some Like It Hot,' wrapped in a wonderful musical valentine to the heroes of World War II," says Norris Center artistic director James Gruessing. "The show is unadulterated, silly, innocent 1940s fun. And, on top of having some of the greatest music ever written, the cast's brilliant comedic chemistry lights up the stage in every irresistible scene." The production is directed by Nick DeGruccio.

Performance dates for "The Andrews Brothers" are April 29 - May 1, May 6 - 8 and May 13 - 15, with show times at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets are $42, and discounted group sales tickets are available at ext. 222. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 310-544-0403 or visit www.norriscenter.com. Free, covered parking is available behind the theatre. The facility is wheelchair accessible and assisted listening devices are provided upon request. The Norris Theatre is located at 27570 Norris Center Drive (formerly Crossfield Drive) in Rolling Hills Estates.