NORRISTOWN, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — A unique musical with a punk rock flair is ready to raise the curtain for area audiences.
“Head Over Heels” will premiere February 8 at Theatre Horizon in Montgomery County. The musical draws its inspiration from an unlikely pairing, but the folks putting it together say it's got the beat.
“It’s a mashup of Elizabethan romance from 1580 called ‘The Countess of Pembroke’s Arcadia,’ with the song catalog of the Go-Go’s, the 80’s all-girl group,” explained James Magruder, a Swarthmore College professor who adapted the show for Broadway.
Magruder said songs from the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers featured in the musical include “Vacation,” “We Got the Beat” and “Our Lips are Sealed” — as well as singer Belinda Carlisle’s solo hit “Heaven is a Place on Earth.”
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The show is set in Ancient Greece — mixed with the 1980s, according to Magruder, who called it the perfect setup for the music of the Go-Go’s. “If you’ve ever heard … their most famous numbers, it has a truly infectious sound,” he said.
He added that the show is unapologetically queer, with a message of growth and understanding.
“As with Shakespearean comedy, there is a young man who dresses up as a woman to infiltrate the royal family and then discovers by the end of the show, ‘I kind of like having my female side explored, I’d like to keep her around too,’” he said.
“We discovered that we had crafted a great big open-hearted show for heartless times.”
Magruder says audiences can expect theatrical magic and neon-hued fun as they enjoy songs that they’ve come to know and love.
“Head Over Heels” will run through March 12.