So many great bands emerged in the 1960’s and you couldn’t make a list of honorees without including The Rascals. In Steven and Maureen Van Zandt’s presentation of “Once Upon A Dream” we not only learn about one of the most influential bands of that era, we also get to see the New Jersey legends perform. “Once Upon A Dream” starring The Rascals made its way to Chicago stopping off at the Cadillac Palace for a five show stint.
In “Once Upon A Dream”, The Rascals, formerly known as The Young Rascals, intertwine live song performances with storytelling that explains how the band formed, their survival throughout the British Invasion, their support for Civil Rights as well as many funny anecdotes that took place during their years as a band. Told either by live band members on stage or via recorded images on a giant screen, each story is nicely complemented by The Rascals performing a song that relates.
An inspiring set of classics by The Rascals is played throughout the show including such greats as “Groovin’”, “Good Lovin’”, “Beautiful Morning”, “I’ve Been Away Too Long” and their highly charged, Civil Rights anthem “People Got To Be Free”. Feel like taking a few pictures? Well, that’s just fine by The Rascals who, at the show’s beginning, invite the audience to take out their cameras and shoot away then suggest posting pictures on Twitter and Facebook.
What you get here is an entertaining story and a live concert rolled into one. The Rascals also show that they are as musically sharp as they were back in their heyday. It’s nearly impossible not to be entertained by this show Rascals fan or not. As the show goes on, audience members let loose to the music more and more, perhaps timid at first since they are at the “theatre”. That said, by the end of the show people are standing and clapping along with each song, crowding the aisles and shouting out to the stage. My hope is that we may see other bands from the past doing show similar to this one in the future. Perhaps The Rascals will prove to be pioneers in such a field.
“Once Upon A Dream” is a truly unique theatre experience. For more information on this wonderfully refreshing show, visit http://rascalsdream.com/.
