Previews: PLAID TIDINGS at Straz Center

If you loved Stuart Ross' Forever Plaid at Straz, the boys are back to Earth to spread yuletide joy in the holiday sequel, Plaid Tidings, on November 30 - December 24.

If you've never seen the original, a clean-cut nerdy Pensyvania singing group meets their maker before they have the opportunity to make it big as a musical quartet. They were killed in 1964 when a bus full of Catholic schoolgirls on their way to the Beatles' debut on the Ed Sullivan show crashed into them, killing all four boys instantly. They are allowed to return to Earth to do one concert in plaid tuxedos.

In this sequel, a heavenly phone call from Rosemary Clooney inspires The Plaids to return for a posthumous Christmas performance to bring a little harmony to a discordant world. With music from the 50s and 60s combined with traditional holiday standards, this "heaven-sent" holiday confection promises to fill the audience with nostalgia for a bygone era.

Martin E. Powers plays a nervous fellow named Jinx in the angel doo-wop quartet that's happy to bring "a healthy dose of holly and harmonies." When he first read the script, he was surprised at how funny it was.

"I really enjoy the juxtaposition between these young men's earnest, lackluster interactions between jumping into complicated, ambitious harmonies. They complete each other's ideas and finish lines for each other. The script does a great job of helping us see just how cool these geeks become when they get to perform as one together."

Martin described what he loved most about his character and the story.

"Jinx is our resident shy guy. He does in life what he does in music, blend in. This lad in plaid needs to learn to let go, and finding these moments of release is where I find a lot of importance in his personal story. I've been focusing a lot on the dynamics between plaids; how characters treat one another informs personality and presentation on both ends. It's a process of trial and error," he said. "I love the difficulty of the music, I love how it asks for a commitment from those a part of the process. You aspire to be like your character beyond their description because you know that they can do it. The music is incredible with the goofy extremes our plaids go to will leave anyone with a smile."

Martin explained that the Plaids "actively choose to lean on each other, to be happy with each other, to celebrate their version of the holidays which is just about making people feel 'comforted and warm and runny inside.'"

When asked what he hoped the audience would walk away with in this show, whose goal is to spread the holiday spirit, he replied, "My aspirations lie more with how people will feel when they leave. I hope people feel inspired and warm in a way that they might tell someone something beautiful. I want people to be talking about love."

Plaid Tidings is November 30 - December 24 at Straz's Jaeb Theatre. Learn more and buy tickets at https://www.strazcenter.org/Events/Straz/Shows/Straz-Poduced/Plaid-Tidings