The Marvelous Wonderettes is one of those shows where the talent and enthusiasm overcome the weaknesses of the script. At times head shakingly corny, the four ladies on stage – ditzy Suzy (Laura Caswell), sarcastic Betty Jean (Melanie McInenly), boyfriend stealer Cindy Lou (Melanie Piatocha) and endearing Missy (Nancy Silverman) make the show work based on their embracing of the slapstick humor and some impressive pipes.

Set in 1958 at the Prom, the Wonderettes perform a number of hits from the bygone era while dealing with drama within their group. After intermission we fast forward to the 10 year reunion, when the girls reunite amidst lingering drama and problems. However, in the end the audience is left feeling like things wrapped up a little too easily. The jukebox musical genre can work really well, such as Forever Plaid, All Shook Up and Jersey Boys, but The Marvelous Wonderettes just doesn’t have the same heart, or strength of story.

Characters and stories are tied into the songs in a clever way, such as Cindy Lou admitting she had fallen for the Son of a Preacher Man, but explaining the result with Leader of the Pack. The story itself seems to just be a thread to tie things together and at times it is a little thin. So it is in the music where the show shines. Those that know and love classic songs like Rescue Me, Stupid Cupid, Teacher’s Pet, and Lollipop will be the ones that appreciate the show the most.

As food goes, when walking into the buffet room, you will immediately notice the smell of maple in the air. Make a point of following your nose to the maple dijon chicken which was incredible. The buffet has some standouts such as the cajun chucken and the cashew prawns, and make sure to get there early enough for the deep fried ice cream.

For those that lived and loved the era, The Marvelous Wonderettes is a nostalgic trip down memory lane. For those whose ties are more current, in the upcoming months Stage West will have impersonators of Madonna and Michael Jackson as well as the musical revue Two Hit Wonders which may be more their taste.