wednesday,july 3, 2013 - County Times - Southern Maryland Online

The County TimesWednesday, July 3, 2013 34By Kimberly AlstonContributing WriterBeatlemania Again Lives OnFor about two and a half hours, “BeatlemaniaAgain” gives fans of the original Beatles a chanceto see what it may have been like to see the “fabfour” in a concert back in 1968. For over 18 years,Dave Pal, Rich Morello, Tom Godsman and MarkEhnamm have taken on the roles of John Lennon,Ringo Starr, George Harrison and Paul McCartneyas they trace the career of the Beatles from their debutin 1964 to their finale in 1969. The instrumentsused in a Beatlemania Again show are period richto those played with in the 60’s in order to give theshow a more authentic sound.Beatlemania Again has been around for morethan 18 years, performing approximatly 75 showsper year. While the Beatles hailed from England,Beatlemania Again tends to stay rooted in the UnitedStates, but, according to owner and performerRich Morello, “our audience rangers from youngchildren to senior citizens”. “Everyone enjoys singingalong to all the classic Beatles songs,” he said.Since the show’s beginning, audience feedback hasbeen overwhelmingly positive. According to a testimonialfrom Melissa Anastasia, “for my kids, thisgroup is the Beatles,” she said, adding, “We alwayshave a great time singing along [and] laughing atthe great humor put on with the group”. BeatlemaniaAgain tries to have a genuinely authentic concertatmosphere, even holding signings and takingpictures after their shows.“The show recreates the music, the magic andthe mania of a live Beatles performance,” Morellosaid, “We do our best to capture the energy and excitementof a live Beatles concert”. The show featuresthree acts, “Meet the Beatles”, “SGT. Pepper”and “Get Back”, each highlighting a different pivotalpoint in the Beatles career. Act one revisits theBeatles’ migration from London to America, showcasingthe original sounds of their albums and theactual instruments used by the group during thattime. Act two highlights the change that the Beatlesembraced after touring around the Philippines andJapan. Everything is live during act two with nobacking tracks added. The final act showcases thefab four’s personalities. Each member dealing withhis own life. Beatlemania Again brings back theemotion that was hidden at the end of the Beatlescareer.“Beatlemania Again is a ‘rockumentary’,” saidMorello. The show is planning on continuing forseveral years to come, inspiring music fans of allage groups. Beatlemania Again is set to performduring St. Mary’s Ryken High School’s CommunityConcert Series on Saturday, July 13 at 8 p.m.in the school’s theatre. Doors will open at 7 p.m.Concessions will be available and no coolers willbe allowed. Tickets are $39 each and seating is generaladmission. Tickets can be ordered by calling301-373-4182. For more information, visit www.BeatlemaniaAgain.com or email them at BeatlemaniaAgain1@comcast.net.Pictures courtesy of Rich Morello and Beatlemania Again websitenews@countytimes.net