Swell Climate for Making ‘Surfstory’

NEWPORT BEACH —  If you want to make your own musical today, the conventional wisdom goes, think twice--then think again. Everything from time to money to commercial taste to sheer luck conspires against the new musical. A new book by former Times theater writer Barbara Isenberg on the making of the Broadway disaster “Big” explains why.

It doesn’t, however, explain how an extremely modestly budgeted musical such as “Surfstory” works so well in its premiere at the Newport Theatre Arts Center, which isn’t accustomed to staging premieres of any sort.

Did I say “works so well”? It’s tubular.

“Surfstory” blends classical forms of the old-fashioned musical with a fresh, natural and local subject--the mid-’60s transformation of surfers’ paradise Dana Point Cove into a marina and how the surfers reacted.

Co-directed by Clifford Bell and Marie De La Palme, this production is keenly aware that it has the goods to go on to the big leagues yet remains blissfully unpretentious.

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Composer-lyricist Joseph Mulroy has only three other produced musicals, yet with book writer Craig Lockwood (who as a journalist covered the city decision to build the marina), he has hatched a surprisingly elegant work. It’s touched with some inspired songs and an engaging story that recalls complex narratives of ‘50s musicals.

“Surfstory” makes no bones about being a work in progress, but it’s still well down the development road. The reason shows such as “Big” sink is that the story and characters aren’t fully formed. Here, the story and characters are the foundation, and this is one show that’s not built on sand.

Echoing the comedy, romance and drama of musicals such as “Bye Bye Birdie,” “South Pacific” and “The Most Happy Fella,” Mulroy and Lockwood set in motion a strong variety of characters.

Gremme (Steve Koehler, no relation to this reviewer), ditching classes at a boys academy,is a surf rat who idolizes vet surfer and board shaper Woody (David Bannick). Woody’s shop is being razed for marina construction that’s overseen by pompous Army Corps of Engineers Gen. Siltmore (Nils Anderson).

This sends a shock wave through the surf community, especially for aging surfer Walnuts (Brent Keast), who lends “Surfstory” unexpected weight with his moments of heartfelt loss and caution to Gremme not to follow in his slacker footsteps.

Lockwood adds another welcome wrinkle by including Dana Point city official Trent (Jason Macdonald), who has second thoughts about the project and falls for surfer chick Jody (Jay Howarth). Life magazine photographer Kate (Camilla Ming), is fresh from a stint in Vietnam--precisely the destination the surfers are trying to avoid.

There’s more to the plot, including a brewing faceoff between a pair of surfers. That part never comes to a full boil, a sign that the multiple plots are a bit much to stuff into less than two hours.

Only rarely, as in the stereotype of Gremme’s overbearing mother (Ann Peck), does the book lapse into stick figures. Amid 13 generally strong songs, this fable of California progress builds to a resonant conclusion, based on guys and gals we’re allowed time to get to know.

And because this is an old-fashioned musical, Mulroy’s score doesn’t try to imitate such surf-music kings as Dick Dale or the Lively Ones. Backed by a sharp quartet (led by guitarist Dave Lopez and organist-bassist Randy Woltz), the cast is definitely stoked doing such solid, sometimes blues-based numbers as “You Shoulda Been Here Yesterday,” “Win, Win, Win,” “Send Us a Swell,” “You Can Be a Surfer Too” and “The Way It’ll Never Be Again.”

Like the whole venture, the songs consistently go further than you expect--the tonal shifts of “Win,” the wacky abandon of “You Can Be a Surfer Too,” the sadness of Walnuts’ solo, “Surfing Days.”

In this last number, Keast shows off his passion for a lyric, nicely contrasted with Koehler’s fresh-scrubbed quality. Howarth and Macdonald as the odd couple could work up a little more heat. Bannick is solid as the good man without a future. Ming does much with her underwritten role, and Anderson goes far beyond the fat-cat military stereotype for some real comedy.

“Surfstory” ends this weekend. But expect this promising splash of fun to come ashore elsewhere, hopefully refined, but also hopefully with the same fresh Newport spirit.

* “Surfstory,” Newport Theatre Arts Center, 2501 Cliff Drive, Newport Beach. Friday-Saturday, 8 p.m. Sunday, 2:30 and 7 p.m. Ends Sunday. $15. (714) 631-0288. Running time: 1 hour, 50 minutes.

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Woody: David Bannick

Gremme: Steve Koehler

Walnuts: Brent Keast

Trent: Jason Macdonald

Jody: Jay Howarth

Gen. Siltmore: Nils Anderson

Gordie: Brent Schindele

Kate: Camilla Ming

Mrs. Wilson: Ann Peck

A Newport Theatre Arts Center production of the Joseph Mulroy-Craig Lockwood musical. Directed by Clifford Bell and Marie De La Palme. Musical director: Mulroy. Choreographer: De La Palme. Costumes: Larry Watts.