Sandy Rustin Illuminates “Girls Just Want To Have Fun”!

by Robert M. Gardner

“Mystic Pizza” soars with song, dance, and comedy, featuring a dazzling cast and your favorite 80s songs. The beautiful, detailed set recreates the seaport town of Mystic, Connecticut, exciting us with its artful construction and whisking us back in time.

On an elevated stage behind a screen, we can see the band. Over them hangs a neon sign emblazoned with the word MYSTIC and a big slice of pepperoni pizza. Prop designer Nate Bertone and costume designer Jen Caprio help the magic happen.

Carmel Dean’s smooth musical arrangements provide perfect accompaniment for the talented cast of this first-class, fast paced, and exhilarating production. The lively cast slides set pieces on and off to Choreographer Connor Gallagher’s delightful dances—a show in themselves.

The stars are three young local Portuguese American waitresses, the heart of the show. Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors” binds the three young working women together, making them a sisterhood against male entitlement and elite class domination. Under Director Casey Hushion’s sure hand, the young women carve a fresh path for three small town pizza workers.

Lauper’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” serves as soundtrack for the ‘bump and grind’ of the three girls finding their way:  Witty Daisy Arujo (Krystina Alabado);  Daisy’s  sister,  wild Katherine “Kat” Arujo (Kyra Kennedy); and their good friend  Josephine “Jojo Barbosa (Gianna Yanelli).

The gals belt out hits like Huey Lewis and the News’ “The Power of Love,” propelling the entire company into chorus line dances. These young stars have the audience clapping and dancing in the aisles.

The three leads have great voices and ethereal harmonies. And Mystic Pizza owner Leona Silvia  (irrepressible Rayanne Gonzalez) has a strong, beautiful voice that rings with  passion and vibrancy.

John Mellencamp’s “Small Town” glorifies the touristic little seaport with a lot of love. There’s a mystery in this musical/Rom-Com, too: What’s the secret behind the Special Sauce that makes its pizza so famous?

Mystic Pizza does not make money during the off-season; so Leona faces closing down. The girls try to persuade the supercilious Fireside Gourmet (multi-talented Jeff Skowron) to visit and give them a glowing review and comedy breaks out!

In the opening wedding scene, when the minister solemnly intones “…till DEATH do you part, ” the bride, Jojo, falls and faints. As Jojo, sparkling Gianna Yanelli, rejects her own marriage.

Jojo and her boyfriend Bill (long-suffering Jordan Friend) is puzzled about why Jojo gets upset when he replaces her name on his fishing boat with: “Nympho.”

Clever Daisy, who is planning and saving to attend Yale, meets architect Tim Travers (handsome Chris Cardozo). Sensible Daisy is falling in love with this preppie Yalie. He represents everything she wants to escape in Mystic. But Tim has a secret that leads that leads Daisy to fireworks and revelations.

“Mystic Pizza” runs only till Sunday, February 25, so take a quick slice at Center REPertory Company at the Lesher Center. Their songs, setting, and stars will give your spirit a big LIFT as the gals grow into sisterhood.

“Mystic Pizza” –book by Sandy Rustin (based on the MGM motion picture with story & characters by Amy Holden Jones), musical arrangements by Carmel Dean, choreographed by Connor Gallagher, directed by Casey Hushion, in partnership with La Mirada Theatre,  at Center REPertory Company, Lesher Center, Walnut Creek, California. Info: lesherartscenter.org – to Sunday, February 25, 2023.

Cast: Krystina Alabado, Kyra Kennedy, Gianna Yanelli, Rayanne Gonzales, Jordan Friend, Chris Cardozo, Michael Thomas Grant, Rachel Kae Wirtz, Monika Peña, April Josephine, Alyssa M. Simmons, Michael James, Jake Swain, Jeff Skowron, Louis Pardo, and Domo D’Dante.

Banner photo: Gianna Yanelli (bride Jojo) shares a moment with Krystina Alabado, Kyra Kennedy, & Rayanne Gonzales. Photos: Jason Niedle. Courtesy of La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts.