By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
Great music, iconic fashion statements and iconic dance moves brought to life.
That, according to Hannah Sheikh, is what audiences members can expect when they come out to see Plainwell High School’s production of “Back to the ‘80s” from Friday, Nov. 7, through Sunday, Nov. 9.
Show times are 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday at the Plainwell Performing Arts Center.
Sheikh, a PHS teacher, is serving as the show’s director.
“(Audience members) are truly in for a treat,” she said. “We encourage those coming to see the show to wear their best ‘80s looks, whether it be their favorite band or concert t-shirt or sporting the bright neon colors.”
“Back to the ‘80s” is loosely based on the plot of the iconic ‘80s movie “Back to the Future,” which starred Michael J. Fox as high school student Marty McFly and recently celebrated its 40th anniversary.
Here is a plot summary for “Back to the ‘80s,” as it appears from Playscripts, Inc.:
“Hold on to your hoverboards, we’re taking a trip Back to the 80s! When modern teen Mary Fitzfry gets sent back in time by an eccentric professor, she finds herself in the middle of a totally tubular cavalcade of ‘80s pop culture.
“There’s a lot of familiar faces, from the teens in breakfast-time detention to the guys chasing ghosts and dancing zombies, but the biggest surprise of all is Mary’s own protective mom as a teen. Turns out she’s actually kind of rad—but thanks to Mary’s time travel, she’s in trouble. Can Mary make things right?
“This adventure takes you from the mall where everything happens, to a suburban sitcom street, to a cave under the high school—and you can choose who to feature from a flexible throng of characters to bring your audience maximum nostalgia. A hilarious parody to make all ages cheer ‘I love the ‘80s!’”
“Back to the ‘80s” was one of several shows Sheikh considered selecting for PHS as she deliberating on whether to do something more comedic in nature or a more serious show.
But “Back to the ‘80s” kept pulling her back to it.
“My parents raised me on the music, movies, TV shows and general culture of the ‘70s and ‘80s, so I felt I could use this as a learning opportunity to introduce kids to the culture,” she said.
And the students who are involved in the show have seemed to enjoy brining it to life.
“It’s been such a joy and honor to work with this group of students both in the cast and crew,” Sheikh said. “This group of students is so dedicated to making sure this show is at its absolute best.
“Seeing how involved the kids have gotten has been so rewarding. From wanting to find creative ways to post and spread word about the show to wanting to contribute ideas to how we can convey the story of the show on stage, they have been amazing.”
General admission tickets for the show are $10 and can be purchased by visiting plainwellschools.ludus.com.
