The Fine Arts Center for the New River Valley and the Pulaski Theatre present Route 66.

Performers in Route 66, a national touring musical comedy revue created by Roger Bean and produced by Springer Theatricals, will grace the stage at the Pulaski Theatre next month.

 Their performance, set for Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m., is sponsored in partnership by the Pulaski Theatre and the Fine Arts Center for the New River Valley.

Route 66 begins in Chicago and, throughout the show, travels along the famed “Main Street of America” to the coast of California.  A large car radio delivers the audience to each new destination along the show’s journey, with the help of DJs and actual vintage radio ads.

At the start of the show, a radio DJ welcomes the audience to Chicago, where they are greeted by a gang of rowdy service station attendants who throw off their snappy uniforms and head off on a westward-bound road-trip filled with music, dance and highway mischief, according to a press release written about Route 66.

“The talented quartet of singing grease monkeys leave Chicago and follows the Mother Road down through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and conclude their travels at the beach in Santa Monica, California,” the press release states.

As the audience travels along with the quartet of characters, they will hear familiar rock and pop music from the 1950s and 60s, including such hit tunes as King of the Road, Dead Man’s Curve, Six Days on the Road, Hot Rod Queen, I Get Around, Little Old Lady from Pasadena, GTO, Fun-Fun-Fun and, of course, Route 66.

Because of its comic antics and tight-harmony vocals, the show has been called a hybrid of Grease, Forever Plaid and Pump Boys and Dinettes, according to the press release.

Springer Theatricals, which is the national touring unit of the Georgia-based Springer Opera House, toured with Route 66 in 2004, and after rave reviews and popularity, the group decided to bring the show back for their 2009-10 touring season. 

One such review from Tucson Weekly stated, “Route 66 is revved up good entertainment that redefines the term ‘road show.’”

“Route 66 is well worth the trip!” stated a review from the Oregon Mail Tribune. “They sing, they dance, they wear zany costumes, they act up, and then they pause for some serious, reflective moments.  It’s quite a performance—one that had the audience on its feet cheering at the close.  What a ride!”

Tickets for the Route 66 performance on Feb. 23 at the Pulaski Theatre are $15 in advance and $18 at the door, and $5 in advance for children 12 and under and $8 at the door.  Tickets are available at The Fine Arts Center for the NRV, Pulaski County Visitors Center and Coffee Buy the Book, Martin’s Pharmacy, Town of Pulaski second floor receptionist (see Brenda) office and at the door or online at www.pulaskitheatre.org.   The box office will open at 6:30 p.m. the day of the event.   The Theatre is located at 14 West Main Street, Pulaski, Virginia.

For more information, contact the Fine Arts Center for the New River Valley at (540) 980-7363 or email info@facnrv.org.