summeroflove1 As a VW bus took the stage for Musical Theatre West’s world premier of Roger Bean’s Summer of Love, the door burst open into a world of Technicolor—but instead of Munchkins, there were hippies.

A young runaway bride desperately searches for a meaning beyond the monotony of her day-to-day life: that is the story of small-town-girl Holly, who finds herself transplanted in an unfamiliar realm, the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco. The year is 1967, characterized by the countercultural revolution, riotous politics, creative expression and timeless music.

Holly is taken in by a band of hippies and dropouts populating Golden Gate Park—a distinct spectrum of characters: Mama, the spiritual rock; Janis, the near pacifist; Daisy, the silent one; Coyote, every girl’s gay best friend; and Dizzy, the space cadet, to name a memorable few. And then there is River, portrayed by a lively Eric Anderson, who gives off an intoxicating aura as the energetic leader of the pack, a man who takes his women in pairs.

However, it is Victoria Strong’s captivating performance as the shrewd Mama—short for Mother Nature—that carries the show with vocals that sound effortless, and more importantly, echo the sound of an era with an authenticity that is paramount in honoring these celebrated classics.

Meanwhile, the plot thickens when Holly’s fiancé, Curtis (a vocally versatile and charismatic Doug Carpenter), comes looking for his bride. At first appalled to find her keeping hippie company, he learns to unwind, particularly via acid trip, an alluring sequence underscored by Lianne Arnold’s psychedelic projections and the organic lighting design of Jean-Yves Tessier.

The evening’s highlights, such as Christine Horn’s (Saige) delivery of a gut-wrenching version of Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart,” were not without weaker aspects, as is typically the case with a brand-new production.

Although Melissa Mitchell physically epitomized her role of Holly, the lack in character dynamic made for a rather flat performance. Holly was one of several characters suffering from a lack of character development in the writing that musicals with this kind of promise tend to refine with time and revisions. The production has already garnered so much support that Bean’s musical with be honored in the 2011 Festival of New American Musicals.

Summer of Love is an ode to freedom of choice that celebrates the beloved aspects of the 60’s, not the least of which are classic tunes by the likes of The Mamas and Papas, Sly & the Family Stone, Jefferson Airplane and Blood, Sweat & Tears executed by a bona fide rock n’roll band and 4-piece brass section. This is a night of feel-good reminiscence, a real trip from the past with a message that will transcend time.

Heather Youmans is an actress and singer who has performed at theatrical venues throughout Southern California. This is her debut as a reviewer.

SUMMER OF LOVE MUSICAL THEATRE WEST • THE CARPENTER PERFORMING ARTS CENTER • 6200 E. ATHERTON STREET • LONG BEACH 90815 • 562.856.1999 www.musical.org • THURS-FRI 8PM; SAT-SUN 2PM & 8PM• $30; GROUP RATES & LAST-ROW DISCOUNT AVAILABLE • THROUGH APRIL 17