ACTORS show 'Pump Boys and Dinettes' brings a Southern flavor to the stage

When Stan Rabe was living in Washington, D.C., he saw a production of “Pump Boys and Dinettes” and liked it so much, he went three more times.

Rabe's infatuation became an obsession, eventually leading to his director's role in the upcoming ACTORS' version, where he is joined by co-director Susan Glass, who also loves the music as well as the script.

Opening night for the local showing of “Pump Boys and Dinettes” is 7:30 p.m. June 8. The eight showings will close the curtain on the 67th season at ACTORS.

“What sets ‘Pump Boys and Dinettes’ apart from other musicals is its unique blend of music and comedy,” Rabe told the Ames Tribune. “The show is full of hilarious one-liners and zany antics, making it the perfect feel-good escape for audiences of all ages.”

ACTORS is transforming the theater’s lounge into a diner for the June 8 performance, thanks to a grant from Discover Ames, where free appetizers will be served prior to the show.

Rabe is excited to unleash the cast and crew, noting how their artistic talent will be on full display.

“The talented cast members, who also serve as the show's musicians, bring an authenticity and warmth to their performances that is truly special,” Rabe said.

The musical comedy is set in a combination gas station and diner on Highway 57, somewhere between Frog Level and Smyrna, North Carolina.

The diner’s two waitresses, played by Julie Minot as Rhetta Cupp and Amy McGrew as Prudie Cupp, are affectionately known as the Dinettes.

The Pump Boys are the six gas station attendants, with Tom Box as L.M., Mark Forbis as Tom, Kaleb Roberson as Beau, Brayden Bond as Jackson, Emil Polashek as Jim and Tim Berven as Eddie.

“The characters all share their stories and dreams through music,” Rabe said. “With catchy songs like ‘The Night Dolly Parton Was Almost Mine’ and ‘Be Good or Be Gone,’ the musical has a distinctly Southern flavor that is sure to get your toes tapping and your heart singing.”

Although there’s a lighthearted tone to the production, Rabe said it also touches on deeper themes of friendship, loyalty and the search for the meaning of life.

“Through their music and conversations, the characters reveal their hopes and struggles, creating a heartfelt and touching experience that resonates long after the curtain has closed,” he said.

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'Pump Boys' cast includes old-times and newcomers

Rabe and Glass have brought some of ACTORS' favorite shows to the stage, including “Urinetown, The Musical” and “How to Succeed in Business.”

The cast is a blend of old-timers and newcomers.

Forbis has worked on more than 100 shows and plays the piano in “Pump Boys.”

Polashek was last seen in “Kiss Me Kate” and “How to Succeed in Business … Without Really Trying.”

Berven hasn’t graced the ACTORS stage since 1992, but in this show, he's reprising a role he performed for the Webster City Community Theater 26 years ago.

Box is returning after a 25-year hiatus from the ACTORS stage. His last show was “Side by Side” by Stephen Sondheim. The music of “Pump Boys” enticed Box back to the stage.

Rounding out the Pump Boys is an ACTORS newcomer. Roberson is the show’s music director and also sings and plays one of the Pump Boys. He recently graduated from Iowa State with a degree in music.

While Minot was recently the music director for“9 to 5 The Musical,” she hasn't been on stage as much. She was cast in “Tomfoolery” in 2012 and “Forbidden Broadway” in 2017. Her familiarity with the music from “Pump Boys,” which dates back to her In Stitches performances, brought the AIDS Memorial Quilt to Ames in 1991.

McGrew recently appeared in “The Importance of Being Earnest” at ACTORS and was previously in the Cherokee Community Theater production of “Pump Boys and Dinettes.”

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How to get tickets for 'Pump Boys and Dinettes'

Community involvement has been widespread in the lead-up to opening night.

“ACTORS has received a lot of community support for this show,” Rabe said. “Campus Garage and the West Street Deli served as the settings for promotional pictures. Vintage Pickers generously loaned ACTORS much of the memorabilia on the stage. Ankeny Diner and Windham Gardens provided the counter stools.”

“Pump Boys and Dinettes” is the Season 67 finale for ACTORS. Season tickets for Season 68 will be available for purchase before the shows and during intermissions. Next season will be the community theater’s most ambitious lineup to date, Rabe said.

Performances are 7:30 p.m. on June 8-10, June 16-17 and June 23-24, as well as at 2 p.m. on June 25.

Tickets are $25 and are available at actorsinc.org and at Alpha Copies in west Ames. First Point members can get tickets at the downtown First National Bank office.

Ronna Faaborg covers business, education and the arts for the Ames Tribune. Reach her at rlawless@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Funny and toe-tapping, 'Pump Boys and Dinettes' also has deeper themes