{"id":109749,"date":"2025-06-23T11:44:27","date_gmt":"2025-06-23T18:44:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/?p=109749"},"modified":"2025-06-23T11:44:27","modified_gmt":"2025-06-23T18:44:27","slug":"delightful-performances-and-a-socko-set-highlight-theatreworks-production-of-come-back-to-the-5-dime-jimmy-dean-jimmy-dean-a-new-musical","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/delightful-performances-and-a-socko-set-highlight-theatreworks-production-of-come-back-to-the-5-dime-jimmy-dean-jimmy-dean-a-new-musical\/","title":{"rendered":"Delightful performances and a socko set highlight TheatreWorks’ production of “Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, a New Musical”"},"content":{"rendered":"

The first thing anyone attending the TheatreWorks Silicon Valley production of \u201cCome Back to the 5 & Dime,\u00a0 Jimmy Dean, \u00a0Jimmy Dean, a New Musical\u201d sees is the unbelievably detailed set created by Nina Ball.\u00a0 It\u2019s the interior of the \u201c5 & Dime\u201d store in the small town of McCarthy, Texas.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s where the entire play takes place, save for one short scene in the store\u2019s restroom.<\/p>\n

The TheatreWorks version of Ed Graczyk\u2019s 1976 play is a musical, and it\u2019s having its world premiere at the Mountain View Center of the Performing Arts, directed by Giovanna Sardelli, TheatreWorks\u2019 artistic director.<\/p>\n

As the play opens, \u00a0Loretta (skillfully performed by Judith Miller) is cleaning the lunch counter with a cloth and trying to kill an errant fly with a flyswatter.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no mistaking that audience members are now witnessing what life is like living in McCarthy in the 1970s.<\/p>\n

But this is no ordinary day.\u00a0 It happens to be the 20th<\/sup> anniversary of the day James Dean died. His small but loyal Texas \u201cfan club\u201d vowed to get together to commemorate his death — and they plan to meet at the 5 & Dime store where they have a small cabinet filled with his photos.<\/p>\n

First to arrive is Mona, realistically played by Lauren Marcus.\u00a0 Mona walks in, looking bedraggled after a long, hot bus ride.\u00a0 Loretta greets her and says she\u2019ll perk up with a glass of Orange Crush.\u00a0 Mona drinks a bit, then runs out the door to look for her son, \u00a0Joe, the boy she says is the result of once having sex with James Dean.<\/p>\n

Mona later returns and remembers the cabinet full of James Dean photos at the 5 and Dime.\u00a0 She runs over to turn on a string of white lights surrounding the photos.\u00a0 Then she opens her suitcase and pulls out a piece of concrete that she says she picked up when the bus stopped at James Dean\u2019s crumbling down house.<\/p>\n

Next to arrive is a buxom blonde named Sissie (amusingly performed by Stephanie Gibson).\u00a0 Dressed in a short red-and-white dress and cowboy boots, Sissie sashays around and sings the song \u201cBig Time Country Singer.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Bursting into the restaurant next is Hayley Lovgren as Stella Mae. Stella May is a robust woman with a voice to match. \u00a0She\u2019s a hoot to watch as she belts out \u201cGoddamn! I Love Texas!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

From left: Judith Miller as Loretta, Lauren Marcus as Mona and Stephanie Gibson as Sissy.<\/p>\n

Photo: Kevin Berne<\/p>\n

A very tall redhead wearing sunglasses enters next, dressed in a white suit.\u00a0 The other women look at her but don\u2019t recognize her.\u00a0 When she takes off her sunglasses, she smiles at them and tells them she used to be named Joe, but 15 years ago she changed it to Joanne and is now transgender.<\/p>\n

This is Shakina, who not only performs in the show but also wrote the lyrics for the songs.\u00a0 Her rendition of \u201cSurvival\u201d is nothing short of riveting and a play highlight.<\/p>\n

On her heels enters a shorter woman wearing what almost looks like a nurse\u2019s uniform.\u00a0 She\u2019s holding an orange and green dress in a plastic bag over her arm.\u00a0 Ashley Cowl disappears into her role of Edna Louise, provoking the audience\u2019s sympathy when she\u2019s berated by Stella May.<\/p>\n

But Joanne comes to her defense, which effectively shuts up Stella May.<\/p>\n

Another highlight is Lovgren and Cowl singing the song \u201cEl Cajon Chiquito\u201d in both English and Spanish, with Lovgren singing the English lyrics and Cowl singing them in Spanish.<\/p>\n

Later,\u00a0 the women collectively put up a big sign that says \u201cThe 20th<\/sup> Anniversary Reunion of the Disciples of James Dean.\u201d<\/p>\n

The next scene is about a talent show when all of the women were in the 1955 class of McCarthy High School. This part of the play needs some work because it seems somewhat out of place (or perhaps it just needs to be more closely integrated into the rest of the play).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

From left:\u00a0 Shakina as Joanne and Hayley Lovgren as Stella Mae.<\/p>\n

Photo: Kevin Berne<\/p>\n

The lone male in the show is Ellie Van Amerongen who plays both Mona\u2019s son \u00a0Joe as well as Jimmy Dean.\u00a0 (Mona insists that Joe\u2019s father is James Dean, \u00a0who Joe does resemble. Yet the other women aren\u2019t sure whether what she says is true or is a figment of her imagination.)<\/p>\n

As music director, \u00a0Jacob Yates does a fine job of both playing the keyboard and leading the small band consisting of Stephen Danska and Tim Roberts on guitar, Kendra Kop on bass and Artie Storch on percussion.<\/p>\n

Alina Bokovikova\u2019s costumes seem to fit the roles of each actor in \u201cJimmy Dean,\u201d and Y. Sharon Peng\u2019s wig and hair design is spot on. Although Kurt Landisman\u2019s lighting is excellent, sound design by Cliff Caruthers needs some fine tuning so that every actor can be heard distinctly in all parts of the theater.<\/p>\n

This production contains mature language and themes, including violence and references to sexual interactions. Parental guidance is suggested; not recommended for youth under 13.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley presents \u201cCome Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, a New Musical\u201d based on the play by Ed Graczyk.\u00a0 Book by Ashley Robinson, music by Dan Gillespie Sells and lyrics by Shakina.<\/strong>
\nNow through July 13, 2025<\/strong>
\nTuesdays through Sundays<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts <\/strong>
\n500 Castro St, Mountain View, CA 94041<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tickets are $44 – $94 and can be purchased by calling (650) 903-6000 or online at www.theatreworks.org<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The first thing anyone attending the TheatreWorks Silicon Valley production of \u201cCome Back to the 5 & Dime,\u00a0 Jimmy Dean, \u00a0Jimmy Dean, a New Musical\u201d sees is the unbelievably detailed…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":124,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"yasr_overall_rating":4.7,"yasr_post_is_review":"yes","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[841],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-109749","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-joanne-engelhardt"},"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":true,"span_bottom":"