The latest show at Swift Creek Mill Theatre has a unique draw: free lemon meringue pie, brownies and coffee.
As the musical “Pump Boys and Dinettes” takes place partially at a diner, audience members who arrive before the show have an opportunity to hop onstage, pull up a stool, and be served by the cast, space allowing.
On opening weekend, “people brought their kids up for a brownie, which is super cute,” says Rachel Marrs, a local actress who plays Rhetta Cupp in the show. “[Audience members] just want to hang out with us and talk to us.”
Aside from the draw of a make believe greasy spoon, “Pump Boys” serves up some down home entertainment with a slice of country music. The show concerns two sisters who work at a diner and four men employed at a nearby gas station on a lonesome stretch of North Carolina country road.
“They sing songs about anything you can imagine: going on vacation, getting lots of tips, falling in love with each other, going to the beach,” says director Tom Width, who is also Swift Creek’s longtime artistic director. “Most of the songs are just toe-tapping fun.”
“Pump Boys” was created by two friends who worked together at New York City’s The Cattleman restaurant, a steakhouse with a nightly sing-along component. What began as a dramatization of their experiences at the western-themed restaurant eventually expanded beyond a two-man act. The show was originally created and performed by John Foley, Mark Hardwick, Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Schimmel and Jim Wann.
“It started as a kind of cabaret show,” Width explains. “The writers themselves performed it. It took off huge in New York, played off-Broadway, played on Broadway, and this is the third time that we have done it.”
All three of Swift Creek’s stagings have starred Eric Williams as Jackson, one of the Pump Boys. While the script and songs have remained the same, Williams says he’s enjoyed seeing different actors offer their interpretations of the characters.
“A lot of the interactions between characters are based in the music that is being presented, but it’s interesting to revisit the characters, and I’ve found some new things, also — some new takes that I didn’t come up with years ago,” Williams says. “It’s a joyous show. It’s fun, it’s engaging, it’s energetic. It’s a little bit of escapism.”
Marrs says audiences should come prepared for a heavy helping of country music.
“All of the songs sound like a song that you know, but they’re all original songs for the show,” she says. “It’s not a jukebox musical. It’s not songs you’d hear on the radio. They’re all original to the musical, but it’s very classic country music-type songs. There’s some tight harmonies, some rock ‘n’ roll, rockabilly-type stuff.”
Marrs enjoys performing one song in particular.
“I have a song called ‘Be Good or Be Gone’ where I’m yelling at one of the guys in the mechanic shop for missing our date,” she says. “It’s so much fun. We’re having a blast.”
If audience members miss out on the free pie and brownies, Width says not to worry; cast members will hold a raffle at the top of act two for an air freshener, offered in the likeness of either a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, Scooby Doo or a hula girl. The latter has been most popular so far.
Asked about the show’s appeal, Width quotes a classic lyric: “‘Forget your troubles, come on get happy, you better chase all your cares away,’ and that’s what ‘Pump Boys and Dinettes’ helps you do, escape for about an hour and a half for a fun, good time.”
“Pump Boys and Dinettes” runs through April 25 at Swift Creek Mill Theatre, 17401 Route 1, South Chesterfield, 23834. For more information visit swiftcreekmill.com or call 804-748-5203.
