Don’t miss the boat! Secrets Every Traveler Should Know, the UL- Lafayette Opera Theater Guild’s presentation at Fletcher Hall, is a winner. Full of humor, great music, enthusiastic performances, and recalling Everyman’s travel experiences, it provides two hours of pure fun, joy and pleasure! Based on Wendy Perrin’s Fodor travel guide of the same name, it presents in song, dance and skit the mishaps, pitfalls, and pleasures every traveler has experienced … whether by plane, boat or bus. It also deals with a few “closer to home” experiences.
A “Revue,” rather than proper “book musical,” Secrets presents a series of vignettes related to travel and travelers. There are the archetypal stewardess types, car rental agents, customs officials, and of course tourists--tourists who have lost their luggage, tourists seeing America first, tourists with “Montezuma’s Revenge,” tourists at the buffet. A running joke everyone in the audience will identify with is the frustrated customer on the other end of an automated service call. Whether dealing with a travel agent or a credit card company, everyone can empathize with the man trying, and trying, and trying to get a hold of a live person! The music ranges from Latin dance numbers (two of them), to a French cabaret song, to a take-off (pun intended) on the Salzburg Music Festival. Much of the music, though, reminds one of what might have been heard in the nightclubs in Vegas, New York, or maybe Monte Carlo in the 60’s and 70’s. With songs and sketches by a group of thirteen writers, the show is hip, nostalgic, irreverent and clever. There is never a dull moment.
In a traditional musical, one has the luxury of meeting and following the characters. By my count over sixty “characters” are introduced to the audience during this show. And the cast numbers but fourteen! Let’s see, my travel computer tells me that’s about 4 characters per cast member! And every character was distinct, every one was perfect. Through marvelous costuming, a quick-change set, and outstanding acting we meet ‘em all. (Hey, if you travelled you met ‘em all and maybe even did it all before!). The singing is outstanding, as is par for a Shawn Roy production. Whether in individual numbers, duets, or choral singing, every (unmiked) word and note were crystal clear! In this show even the pianist had lines, and both pianist and bassist had a costume change. And the audience, well, at one point half of them were dancing on the stage. It was that much fun!
A revue, by definition, is a true ensemble endeavor, so I won’t even attempt to pick out the best among them. I had my favorites, and others had theirs. Suffice it to say that every one of these performers was wonderful. Ranging from college graduates, to current UL students, to community members, these fourteen young performers would make anyone proud they are in our area!
The finale of both the first and second act is the song “See It Now.” And you better! The remaining performances are Friday and Saturday night (October 10, 11 at 7:30 p.m.) and Saturday and Sunday Matinees (October 11 and 12 at 3:00 p.m.). Tickets are only available at the door. Don’t miss the boat! You’ll regret it.
---Donald Voorhies
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