By Dale King
Sisters of Swing, the musical biography of the famed Andrews Sisters now playing at the Broward Stage Door Theatre, is an entertaining bit of harmonious history, a tuneful testament to how three sisters from Minnesota broke free from the pack of mid-20th century vocal groups to create an unforgettable sound that captured the heart of a nation.
The show wraps 20 of the Sisters’ best-known songs around a backstory of how the three youngsters rose from relative obscurity to the top of the charts, just in time to become the musical darlings of World War II.
Their careers didn’t end with the war, but they certainly took a dive — as the play expresses. Their song style hit the skids in the mid-50s, and eldest singer LaVerne died of cancer in 1967. Patty and Maxene continued to sing, and Bette Midler’s 1972 cover of the Andrews anthem, “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” renewed interest in the trio’s sound.
Thankfully, Sisters of Swing doesn’t get too morose. Most of the music is hot, thanks to the three excellent vocalists who re-create the sisters’s energy and sharp-edged harmony.
Performing the music of the Andrews Sisters are Malia Nicolini as LaVerne, Sarah Ashley as Maxene and Molly Ann Ross as Patty. Not only do they master the vocal range, harmony and verve of the trio, but also capture their attributes. Like LaVerne Andrews, Nicolini is serious, with a special place in her heart for her parents.
Maxene, considered to be the prettiest, is wont to give away her heart easily, so while she’s a great singer, she’s sometimes a fool for love.
Patty is the rebel and liveliest of the trio, and, if you check various videos on YouTube, you’ll see that she became the leader of the group. Ross is a fiery vocalist with plenty of stage finesse.
The show’s tunes run fairly chronologically, from the child-like “Three Little Fishies” to the more mature “Dinah” and “Near You.”
The song that really kicked the Andrews into overdrive was “Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen,” a Yiddish song that came out flat until Sammy Cahn replaced some original lyrics with English words and the tune hit the roof.
Joining the girls on stage, portraying “every other guy” in the cast, is Brad Rakushin, recalled for being one of the actors in Broward’s I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change. As Bing Crosby, he croons “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive;” shakes his maracas to “Rum and Coca Cola” and hangs tightly onto the steering wheel in “Six Jerks in a Jeep.”
Perhaps the best song in the show is “I’ll be With You in Apple Blossom Time,” with its tightly fixed harmony and sad, wistful tune. “Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy” shows up in the war song set, as does “I Can Dream, Can’t I?” and Ross’s rendition of “Corns for My Country,” a sore-foot number.
“Hold Tight,” a scat beat vocal, is perhaps the best swing song, attesting to the actresses’ varied abilities.
The show wraps up with a recitation of some of the Andrews’ low points – marriages followed by divorces, money troubles and the deaths of LaVerne and Maxene. The touching finale, “Count Your Blessings,” brings the show full circle.
This story and compilation of tunes was written by Beth Gilleland and Bob Beverage, based on an idea by Ron Peluso. The Broward Stage version features a three-piece band led by Dave Nagy, who plays with passion and also delivers a monologue perfectly. Joining Nagy on the show stage are Martha Spangler on bass and Julie Jacobs on drums.
Dan Kelley handles both the directorial and choreography duties at Broward Stage. It doesn’t strike the audience at first, but everyone soon notices that the scenery behind the band — designed by Sean McClelland and built by Stage Door Scenic — is shaped like a big, old-fashioned cathedral radio. The dial even lights up.
Sisters of Swing is playing through July 12 at the Broward Stage Door Theatre, 8036 W. Sample Road, Margate. For tickets, call 954-344-7765.