PCPA’s final summer show under the stars, Beehive, will be groovin’ at the Solvang Festival Theater August 7–23. Created by Larry Gallagher, this jukebox musical brings the soundtrack of the 1960s to the stage in a celebration of some of the era’s most influential female recording artists.
The six women in the cast play a handful of roles, including performing in the styles of vocalists such as Tina Turner, Mama Cass, and Janis Joplin. “We all have one main character,” says Sydni Abenido, “but some of us also turn into famous female singers.” Abenido describes the focus of this musical as aligning with one of the era’s most prominent cultural movements: female empowerment. “Women artists were on the rise and striving for equality,” she says. “I feel like that’s where this show hits the hardest — highlighting where these women made an impact on the music industry.”
Africa Turner, who performs as Diana Ross and Aretha Franklin, echoes this idea by pointing out that many of these women were shaping their own destinies by taking more control in their careers than ever before. They became an inspiration to the women listening to them and following them in the media.
Beehive brings the sound and personality of the ‘60s, but also the look and energy of the era in this high-voltage dance extravaganza. The show is directed and choreographed by Keenon Hooks, a two-time veteran of the show. The lineup of songs, including hits such as Lesley Gore’s “It’s My Party,” Dusty Springfield’s “Son of a Preacher Man,” and Tina Turner’s “Proud Mary,” spans the variety of styles and genres of the decade into the early 1970s.
This is your last chance for theater under the stars until next June, so zip up your go-go boots, tease your hair, and enjoy Beehive in Solvang August 7-23. See bit.ly/4hptPs2.
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