Review: ‘G.I. Holiday Jukebox’ boogies

A. KOCH/special to the VW independent

What a fantastic way to spend an evening! Van Wert Civic Theatre and Jerry Zimmerman have another hit in their theater.

G. I. Holiday Jukebox is a salute to the Stage Door Canteen of the 1940s, as it says in the program. My grandpa told me stories about those USO shows that starred Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, The Andrews Sisters and many others too numerous to mention. We even watched the black-and-white movies on television together and gramps knew all the songs and would sing along. He told me how these USO shows actually helped most of the soldiers cope with the devastation and being homesick of World War II, the “Big One” as he called it. If the shows he saw were anything like the show at Van Wert Civic Theatre, I can see why it helped him forget for an hour or two where he was.

The “troupe” of Jerry Zimmerman, Kristin Lee, Chris Lybold, and Laura Warnement took me back to watching those movies. There were “The Andrews Sisters”, “Bing Crosby”, “Bob Hope”, “Danny Kaye”, “Judy Garland”, “Martha Raye”, and “Betty Hutton”, just to name a few. These stars have present day competition with the quartet of singers on Van Wert’s stage.

I was completely drawn into and actually believed I was in 1940 at an actual USO show, with songs like, “Oh! How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning”, “It’s Only a Paper Moon” and, of course, the duet by Laura and Kristin on “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” — they really sound like The Andrews Sisters.

Oh, and I loved the audience participation with the songbook sing-along — if you weren’t in the mood for Christmas, this show certainly gets you there.

The costumes, choreography, staging, and the music before the show was spot-on in transforming to an actual 1940 setting. Great job by the, as I found out, all-volunteer group for a performance to equal any I have seen in an actual “professional” theatre, you have this quality of a performance.

I want to encourage everyone to take time out of their busy schedules to see this show. There’s four shows left: December 10-13. Do not miss this one, or you’ll be sorry.

Call Van Wert Civic Theatre Box Office at 419.238.9689, Monday through Friday, from 2-6 p.m., to make reservations. Area residents can also purchase gift certificates to give as Christmas presents to upcoming VWCT shows Unnecessary Farce, Beauty and The Beast and Outgoing Tide.