It was 1982 in America, and premiering on Broadway was "Pump Boys & Dinettes," a show recalling the "good ole days" of the South (for some).

While it doesn' have much of a plot, if you enjoy escapist theatre with a country and western feel, this is the show for you. The original cast—Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Foley, Mark Hardwick, John Schimmel and Jim Wann—created Pump Boys, and though it was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Musical, it was up against “Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” “Nine,” and "Dreamgirls," the fictionalized tale of the Supremes which pretty much swept up the awards.

The original "Pump Buys & Dinettes" closed after 573 performances, then went quietly into obscurity until someone mounted a version in 1984 at Chicago's Apollo Theatre on Lincoln Avenue, where it ran for nearly five years, closing in July 1989 following 1,976 performances and selling 600,000 tickets. 

So Porchlight has chosen a likely winner with this revival. But its original all-white cast and its setting in the 1950s—when filling stations and diners in the South notoriously discriminated against people of color—demanded a dramatic revamp 30 years later. Porchlight has done just that. 

Under the direction Daryl Brooks, a name you may know from The Black Ensemble Theater, this cast gives a lively energetic jolt of life lessons, foibles and desires by way of country western songs. The genius of Brooks was in casting an inter-racial group of people to play the pump boy and dinettes, thereby making it a broadly American Musical.  

Shantel Cribbs (Prudie, above right) and Melanie Loren (Rhetta, center opposite Ian Paul Custer) are cast as The Cupp sisters, proud owners of the Double Cupp Diner. Prudie, the more sentimental of the two sisters sings the torch song “The Best Man,” while Rhetta lays down the law with her fiery “Be Good or Be Gone.” The two create a melancholy moment with the surprisingly tender song “Sister,” but not before explaining what it is a waitress want, “Tips.”

These women have phenomenal voices and acting abilities. The Cupp Sisters also provided percussion by way of salt boxes, washboards, pie tins, basically anything that is handy and could make a sound.

As to the boys, they not only pump gas and fix cars, but they are also accomplished instrumentalists. Ian Paul Custer on rhythm guitar as Jim, is our tour guide and leader of the Pump Boys. He engages the audience with his down-home charm whether he’s singing about “Taking it Slow” or reminiscing about childhood memories with his "Mamaw."

On lead guitar is the handsome heartthrob Jackson played by the equally handsome Billy Rude. His “Mona“ is a hilarious but sweet crush on a Walmart clerk. His energy is infectious as is his comedic timing. Rafe Bradford is pump boy Eddie. What makes Eddie such a fun character is he seldom speaks but says a great deal with his facial expressions while playing his bass guitar. L.M (Ladies Man) is the co-owner of the filling station, a role played for everything it’s worth by Frederick Harris, a first-rate musical comedy actor. One of the funniest songs is done by LM. I won’t spoil it by giving it away.

"Pump Boys and Dinettes” is at its best when the entire company is working together. Thanks to Music Director Robert Reddrick, Choreographer/Costume & Wig Designer Rueben Echoles, and Director Daryl Brooks, they work together beautifully. As a gift to the original creators, I suggest a brand new 40th anniversary cast album. This deserves to be heard more than once.

About the set: If you’re like me and you peek into a diner before going in, you would have noticed a picture of that country western star Lil Nas X hanging on the wall. It's a safe bet the original Double Cupp Cafe would not be listed in the Negro Motorist Green Book published by Victor Hugo Green for African American travelers, on seeing Lil Nas X, that prop immediately signaled to me that this wasn’t my grandaddy’s “Pump Boys and Dinettes” – this was gonna be something different.

In fact the set for Porchlight’s production of “Pump Boys & Dinettes” is outright gorgeous. This set was so fully realized, I could smell the coffee coming from the kitchen. Going out on a limb, it’s probably the best set you’re going to see this season. An explosion of color and neon lights, all beautifully lit by Denise Karczewski, the view of Sydney Lynne’s 1950’s retro art deco diner and filling station is worth the price of admission. Karczewski changes the lighting design from song to song, creating a different effect depending on the tempo and subject of the number.

Porchlight Theatre's Pump Boys & Dinettes is at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn through December 12. 
Created by John Foley, Mark Hardwick, Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Schimmel, Jim Wann Directed by Daryl Brooks
Music direction by Robert Reddrick
Choreographed by Rueben D. Echoles
Thursdays at 7 pm
Fridays at 8 pm
Saturdays at 3 pm and 8 pm
Sundays at 2 pm
Thru December 12th