Psychedelic Shout! Lands At Water Tower

Shout! The Mod Musical has landed in Chicago after having critical and box office success in both London and New York. With some of the most recognizable and well loved songs ever written, Shout! is a fun-filled journey though a decade that shaped what music has become. The show, which is light on plot, features, five girls, each with their own color (blue, red, green, yellow and orange), revealing their individual life journeys through the advice columnist of Shout! magazine and singing the melodies made famous by Petula Clark, Dusty Springfield, LuLu and Mary Hopkins to name a few. With songs such as "Downtown", "Don't Sleep In The Subway", "To Sir With Love", "Son of A Preacher Man", this musical, which fits perfectly into the Drury Lane Theatre at Water Tower Place, certainly leaves the audience feeling uplifted.

The very talented ensemble consists of some of Chicago's best non-equity talents. Lauren Fijol (Blue Girl), Megan Long (Red Girl), Danielle Plisz (Green Girl), Amy Steel (Orange Girl) all have great harmonies together and belting solos. However, it is Maggie Portman (Yellow Girl), who was terrific in Porchlight's production of Nine, that dominates the vocals. As the sole "American" girl of the group, Portman has the star power energy and acting chops to make her ‘Yellow Girl' the one you can't take your eyes off.

Shout! works best when the music is center stage and showcases the 60's greatest hits. The sub plots of the girls' personal life tends to take the show off course as there is not enough time for character development to allow the audience to take a vested interested in caring about the ladies. As the woman's movement is the undercurrent of Shout!, issues of abuse, abortion and gay rights become almost a distraction to the fun loving melodies the ladies are singing.

Bradley Vieth's musical direction is spot on and his band of three certainly fools the ears into thinking there is a full orchestra with the full out music arrangements of the original songs. David Gallo creates the perfect psychedelic mood with plush pink carpeting and bright bold colors for the girls to emote, and Philip Heckman's Crayola costumes give the girls their unique charm.

Shout! The Mod Musical is the perfect summer production and is in the perfect location to attract both residents and tourists alike.

Shout! The Mod Musical plays through June 22, 2008 at the Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place, 175 E. Chestnut St., Chicago, Illinois. For ticket information and show times, please call the Broadway In Chicago Ticket Line at (312) 904- 1400 or visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com or www.ShoutTheModMusical.com