Route 66, the iconic highway that once stretched from Chicago to Los Angeles and still exists in some parts, now has a musical devoted to it.
‘Route 66’ is now running at Olathe’s Chestnut Fine Arts Center. Nat King Cole first recorded ‘Route 66’ in March, 1946, and the show features this tune. Starting from that time, the show travels through the 1950s and into the mid-1960s playing the music of each era. In the first act, audiences hear tunes from the 1950s, including ‘Texaco Star Theme’, ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’, the aforementioned ‘Route 66’ and ‘Truck Stop Cutie’.
Act two has songs that are more familiar, such as ‘Jailhouse Rock’, ‘Little Old Lady from Pasadena’, and ‘I Get Around’, by performers like the Beach Boys, the Everly Brothers, Jan and Dean, and Elvis Presley. Audiences sing along with numbers like ‘King of the Road’.
The show features four great vocalists: Dave Thompson, Joel Morrison, Patrick Lewallen, and Jay Coombs. The onstage trio that adds to the fun is percussionist Ken Remmert, pianist Lenora Remmert, and guitarist Brian Wilson.
The show will run through December 20, except for this weekend, when there are no performances. Theater management might create Banners with the Route 66 sign or other nostalgic designs on them to go along with the theme of the show.Get a Free Quote for Banners
