REVIEW: Ted Swindley's HONKY TONK ANGELS—Laguna Playhouse
- TheShowReport
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
A hilarious, foot-stomping good time!
AUGUST 7, 2025—LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE
Angela is a housewife, weary of standing by her man and his coming home a-drinkin’ with lovin’ on his mind, who decides that her boots were made for walking. Sue Ellen has abandoned working nine-to-five to reconnect with her childhood home. Darlene was born a coal miner’s daughter, but after Billy Joe MacAllister jumped off the Tallahatchee Bridge, she packed up her guitar and set out to fulfill the dream they shared.
Since Angela is from East Texas, Darlene from West Virginia and Sue Ellen from Houston by way of Los Angeles, “show business” means Nashville, and since they are all church-raised girls, their fortuitous meeting in a Greyhound station is viewed as a “sign from above,” even before their voices are discovered to blend in perfect Appalachian harmony.
Sure enough, by Act Two, durned if they aren’t performing together under the collective label of — you guessed it — the “Honky Tonk Angels” (as in “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels”).
More wholesome than a bucket of pork rinds, HONKY TONK ANGELS arrives as a welcome summer treat at Laguna Playhouse, offering a very impressive playlist of country gold, featuring greats from Willie Nelson to Tammy Wynette to Bobbie Gentry. Most of the songs are from the early days of country, so this interactive musical revue is partially dependent on success by having some familiarity with the source material. And with an audience primarily made up of the senior generation, it’s hard to imagine anyone not clapping along — and clap they do.
What elevates this gyne-centric fantasy above fan-fiction level is the infectious charm conveyed by our Dixie Bells, who warble, croon and chicken-walk through a staggering 28 honkers in just over two hours, wearing smiles that light up the room like a Kentucky sunrise.
The score ranges from trad favorites like “Barroom Habits,” “Don’t Come Home a Drinkin’ With Lovin’ on Your Mind,” and “Almost Persuaded,” to crossover hits like “Harper Valley PTA” and “Amazing Grace/Calling All Angels.” The playlist also forays into novelties like “Cleopatra, Queen of Denial,” “Night Life,” “Help Me Make it Through the Night,” along with a delightful mash-up of an upbeat “Time For Me to Fly”/”I’ll Fly Away.” The “behind the curtain” onstage band led by music director John Massey on the ivories gets its moment in the spotlight too, ripping it up on the bluegrass show-stopper “Rocky Top.”
Directed by esteemed Laguna Playhouse Artistic Director David Ellenstein (Dir: “The Remarkable Mister Holmes;” “Eleanor;” “A View from the Bridge”), Mr. Ellenstein is able to weave the country jukebox and story into quite a tidy (if not slightly cotton-wisp) narrative with relative ease. Oblique poetry might win Nobel Prizes, but no-nonsense songs about bad husbands, bad choices and good times still make for a pretty fine evening.
It’s a “greatest country hits” compilation, filled out with barely enough dialogue to seed a tweetstorm. And honestly, that’s kind of admirable. The show’s like a pull of whiskey: no unnecessary mixers or added flavors, just a good, straight shot of the hard stuff. Or to put it another way: They skip all the banter and just sing the dang songs.
So, if your previous impression of country music is one of sexist ditties like “Getcher Biscuits in the Oven and Yer Buns into Bed” (that’s not made up, by the way), book writer Ted Swindley (of “Always...Patsy Cline” fame) offers an opportunity to become more acquainted with a genre you may already know better than you think. Stephen Gifford’s decor makes the No Exit Cafe cozy enough so you’ll forget how hot it is outside, and that music will definitely get you in the mood to pick up some sweet-potato pie on the way home tonight.
Singing those hits are the impressive team of Darcy Rose Byrnes as Darlene, Alexandra Melrose as Angela and Shelley Regner as Sue Ellen, who are backed by a very engaging six-piece orchestra playing multiple instruments (Angelica Roque is also part of the show as understudy to all). All three actresses onstage are matchless and marvelous when belting out solos, but they are really exceptional when harmonizing those old hits together. And if you’re a country music fan like me, or really into old-time country rock, I don't think you'll want to miss this revue! So ya'll git to the box office now, afore they's all gone, ya hear?
LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE PRESENTS: TED SWINDLEY’S HONKY TONK ANGELS; Written by TED SWINDLEY; Directed by DAVID ELLENSTEIN; Choreographed by JILL GORRIE; Musically Directed by JOHN MASSEY; Scenic Design by STEPHEN GIFFORD; Costume Design by DIANNE GRAEBNER; Lighting Design by JARED A. SAYEG; Sound Design by JESSE WORLEY; Props Design by KEVIN WILLIAMS; Wig/Hair Design by PETER HERMAN; Production Stage Manager is NATALIE FIGAREDO.
CAST: DARCY ROSE BYRNES (Laguna Playhouse: “Rapunzel and Her Holiday Wish”); ALEXANDRA MELROSE (Nat’l Tour: “Les Miserables”); SHELLEY REGNER (Hollywood Bowl: “Beauty and the Beast in Concert”); ANGELICA ROQUE (“The Young Americans”).
HONKY TONK ANGELS plays from July 30th through August 17th, 2025 at 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach. Performances are Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30pm; Thursdays & Saturdays at 2:00pm; Sundays at 1:00pm & 5:30pm (No 5:30pm performance on August 17th). For tickets, visit www.lagunaplayhouse.com.
CHRIS DANIELS
Arts & Entertainment Reviewer
The Show Report
PHOTO CREDITS: Jason Niedle/TETHOS
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