There are at least three reasons to see the national tour of  “Memphis,” the current offering at The Music Hall at Fair Park:

The music.

The dancing.

The history lesson.

The score by Bon Jovi’s David Bryan, the terrific production numbers and the glimpse into the U.S. racial landscape of the 1950s are all great reasons to see this show. The cast is top-notch, so you can add that as reason number four to see this show. Bryan Fenkart plays the white, goofy radio DJ, Huey, and Felicia Boswell portrays the ambitious, black singer. Both are outstanding in the two leading roles, and are backed-up by singers and dancers

Presented by Dallas Summer Musicals, this national tour of the show that won the 2010 Tony for best musical runs through May 27th. Check www.dallassummermusicals.org for “Memphis” ticket information and show times.

At least two cheers, if not three, are in order for the star of “Bring It On: The Musical,” the current Dallas Summer Musicals (www.dallassummermusicals.org).

The star of this musical built upon modern-day cheerleading is the choreography. Dance number after cheerleading routine after dance number is so much fun to watch that you might just wish for pom-pons to wave.

Behind it the high-spririted musical is Tony Award-winning director and choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler whose creativity really is something to cheer about. The cast, which features some regular Broadway types but also a squad full of experienced, competitive cheerleaders, executes the choreography well enough to earn top honors at any cheer camp.

This musical, boasting no big-name stars and featuring a very predictable storyline, looks at competitive high school cheerleading. Tryouts, backstage jitters, jealousy, practice–it’s all there, except no self-respecting cheerleader would ever pair her uniform with high heels.

But it serves as a short-cut to the stereotypes found in most high schools. There’s the blonde cheerleading captain, her best friend, the back-stabbing wannabe, the gay guy, the high school stud. Sprinkle them through two rival high schools and focus on the cheerleading, and you’ve got the basis for this show. If you’ve ever been in the modern-day cheerleading world where “Herkie” Herkimer from Dallas is the patron saint of this sport and competition is a given, you’ll know how close some of the show comes to real life. If you weren’t in the world of stunts and tryouts and ponytails, you can still enjoy the show.

The songs by Tom Kitt, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Amanda Green aren’t even listed in the show’s program. They’re nice enough, but it serves to emphasize what really is the star of this show: the movements, explosive and aerobatic.

Bring It On: The Musical will be presented by Dallas Summer Musicals through Feb. 26 at the Music Hall at Fair Park. It’ll make you want to do a toe-touch.

Glenn Rainey, Garth Kravits and Todd Horman open the show.

Musical theater fans will find ”Guys and Dolls,” currently playing at The Music Hall at Fair Park, a good bet for a pleasant evening filled with a fantastic dancing, a classic score and some terrific performances.

The national tour opened Tuesday for a two-week stop featuring a revival of the 1940s tale of gamblers, gansters and showgirls. On Broadway, both the original 1951 musical and the 1992 revival won Tony Awards, so the show’s music and comedy are long-time favorites. Many of the Frank Loesser tunes, from “Luck Be a Lady” to “Bushel and a Peck,” are well known charmers.

For this production, Ben Crawford smoothly commands the stage as Sky Masterson, and actress Megan Sikor’s take on Miss Adelaide is very cute. One of the show’s best performances comes from Glenn Rainey whose Nicely Nicely Johnson literally stopped the show opening night with “Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat.” 

Just like the floating crap game Nathan Detroit works so hard to organize, sometimes the dice come up snake eyes, even on stage. Steve Rosen takes a while to warm up in his role of Nathan Detroit, and Erin Davie’s beautiful voice was nice for the character of Sarah but her stiff performance was tough to watch.

The audience did hit the jackpot with the strong musical performances and Patti Columbo’s terrific choreography. The trio that opened the show set the pace with its great voices and happy harmonies, and the dancing in the big production numbers was a big win. Only odds were that just at a critical time, the theater’s sound system would give way since microphone problems  plagued the opening night show.

“Guys and Dolls,” presented by Dallas Summer Musicals (www.dallassummermusicals.org), will continue through July 31. If you’re looking for a summertime diversion, go ahead and take the bet. Odds are it’ll be worth the gamble.

Diana DeGarmo, Dee Hoty and Mamie Parris in "9 to 5"

The national tour of ”9 to 5: The Musical” is like a brilliant CEO without a business plan…destined to struggle, if not fail.

Dallas Summer Musicals’ current offering through May 29 at Dallas’ Music Hall at Fair Park is the stage version based on the film featuring Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. The hook then and now is Parton’s catchy hit of the same name, but it’s simply not enough to wrap a musical around.

The touring production features some outstanding vocal performers. Tony-nominated Dee Hoty takes the lead playing Violet, and she’s joined by Broadway veteran Mamie Parris as Judy and ”American Idol” finalist Diana Degamo, platinum wig and more, in the Dolly Parton role. They ably, energetically and enthusiastically handle all the vocal demands and truly do the best they can with the mediocre script, but it’s just not enough.

For a while, it’s fun to take a trip back to a time of carbon paper, afros, typewriters and broad-shouldered jackets. But the show can’t decide if it wants to make social commentary on the times, a musical farce or a stage version of an old movie.

Too many elements just don’t pull together. A larger-than-life video of Dolly Parton weirdly welcomes the audience in her folksy, gee-whiz manner, and the villain is left awkwardly dangling at one point in slapstick that doesn’t work. The constant scene changes, involving the cast  pushing and pulling desks, just get plain tiresome.

This show, like an office worker who’s been out performed by other workers, needs a pink slip.

Anya Garnis and Pasha Kovalev were just two of many reasons to check out the white-hot dancing at Fair Park.

I needed to turn up the air conditioning as you drive to “Burn the Floor” at the Music Hall at Fair Park.

The show was that hot.

Think of “Dancing With the Stars” on steroids. Think more energy than your two-your-0ld nephew and more electricity than a southern thunderstorm. These people can dance!

Not only did they put on a mesmerizing show, each dance smoothly faded from one fantastic number to the next. From a hypnotic waltz to a fiery cha cha, the high style parade of human artistry was the type of show that could be seen again and again.

The show’s two-week run is over, but I hope Dallas Summer Musicals (www.dallassummermusicals.org) brings it back.

I guess you can say I liked it.

True talent. Tommy Tune has it.

Tap dancing his way through his life story, master entertainer Tommy Tune brings as much charm as his legs are long to the Music Hall at Fair Park. In his recent show, Tommy Tune: Steps in Time, the Texas native put on the kind of show that just made me smile from beginning to end.

Even though he shares the stage with the talented Manhattan Rhythm Kings, the spotlight was shining brightly on the red-shoed Tommy Tune during the entire no-intermission, 90-minute show. In this production presented by the Dallas Summer Musicals (www.dallassummermusicals.org), he starts with a demo of a time step–a basic for any tap dancer–and proceeds to weave together his autobiography through singing and dancing.

A delicious amount of name dropping was thrown in, he recounts his memories of Broadway, movies and even the Music Hall at Fair Park. It was a terrific show, made even more amazing by the fact Tommy Tune is a boyish 72 years old, a fact that just doesn’t compute when you see him in action.

I am often very annoyed at Dallas audiences that give just any old performance a standing ovation. For this show? I was the first one on my feet.

It’s hot. Summer’s goes on. And on.

Are these the dog days of summer?

Even if they indeed are, I’ve got an escape for you. Air conditioning is involved.

Before the end of this month, get thyself over to the Ross Akard Gallery, located at 1717 N. Akard Street in Dallas (www.rossakard.com). That’s actually inside The Fairmont Dallas. There’ll you’ll find a fabulous display of musical memorabilia, courtesy of Dallas Summer Musicals (www.dallassummermusicals.org). 

In celebration of Dallas Summer Musicals’ 70th anniversary, gallery owner Bryan Embry has given over the space this month to a showing theater lovers will love. In addition to the DSM’s Tony Awards, the display includes photos, Playbills and costumes.

Which shows? At the opening reception I attended, I spied items from such faves as “Mamma Mia!,” “Rent,” “Bob Fosse’s Dancin’,” and “Cabaret.”

If you want to make it a really great field trip, go ahead and book The Fairmont’s Broadway suite (www.fairmont.com/dallas).It’s filled with still more Broadway mementos.

Then while you’re thinking about how you love musicals and how you love cooler weather, make plans for another field trip. Tickets are on sale for “Shrek the Musical” which will hit The Music Hall at Fair Park Sept. 28 through Oct. 17.

From start to finish, the current production of “Dreamgirls” playing in Dallas is a dream of a show.

The sets, the singing, the dancing are all stellar in this show playing through July 18 at The Music Hall at Fair Park as a part of Dallas Summer Musical’s 70th anniversary year. The story, set in the early days of Motown, is told in an upbeat and entertaining way, largely due to the excellent cast.

Leading the way as Effie is Moya Angela, who has the pipes to pull off the show-stopping “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going.” With a performance like hers, the standing ovation came before intermission. Pushing hard to steal the show is the hilarious Chester Gregory as James “Thunder” Early, a comic mix of James Brown and Little Richard.

But this isn’t a musical that just showcases its stars. The chorus is filled with talented performers, whose tight harmonies and skillful dancing fill the stage with energy. The costumes are dazzling beautiful, and the imaginative sets have given this revival an updated look.

With a combo of great costumes, cool sets and talented dancing, the  production numbers are truly a treat. “Steppin’ to the Bad Side” was a stand-out, but other numbers are a treat for the audience, too.

The original Broadway production of “Dreamgirls” opened in 1981 and went on to win six Tony Awards. The current show debuted at Harlem’s Apollo theater last fall before it began touring. 

Touring companies can sometimes disappoint, but make no mistake–this is not one of “those” shows. ”Dreamgirls” is one of the highlights in Dallas Summer Musical’s lineup, and it’s no time to be napping and miss this show.

For ticket information, see www.dallassummermusicals.org.

Wicked, the Tony Award-winning musical, returns for its third stop at The Music Hall at Fair Park.

Forget the trip to Broadway. The current national tour of “Wicked,” being staged at The Music Hall at Fair Park, is every bit as good as the red-hot musical staged on the Great White Way.

The show, which runs in Dallas through  June 27, saves Broadway fans the time, trouble and expense of a New York trip.  The Dallas Summer Musicals presentation (www.DallasSummerMusicals.org) dazzles with its musical tale of what happened before Dorothy and Toto ever were blown into the Wizard’s turf.

The original show, which opened in 2003, broke Broadway boxoffice records with Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth in the two leading roles. For audiences wanting to hear Stephen Schwartz’s music at its best, this current tour, the third at The Music Hall at Fair Park, will not disappoint. Not only does the orchestra deliver a full sound, the leads are first rate.

As Elphaba, Donna Vivino showcases powerhouse pipes, exploding in her musical moments. Her “Defying Gravity” turn closes out the first act with a wow-factor because of her rock-star qualities. Chandra Lee Schwartz brings both the wide vocal range and terminal cuteness necessary for Glinda the Good.

The sets, the lighting, the costumes combine for a top-rate production. The production is staged at a level unusual for a touring show, from the enormous red-eyed dragon atop the stage to the whimsical green costumes and imaginative lighting design.

The show, which won three Tony Awards and still packs the New York theater after nearly eight years, is strongest in the first act. “Popular,” “The Wizard and I,” “I’m Not That Girl” and, of course, “Defying Gravity” all are power house songs wowing the audience before intermission.

Still the musical’s songs and humorous references to “The Wizard of Oz”  supply enough to make other shows green with envy. Dallas’ current “Wicked”  casts a spell with its wickedly good entertainment.

Rain will perform through Sunday in Dallas.

If you close your eyes, you could be transported to another decade. But if you do, you’ll miss a good part of the fun of “Rain–A Tribute to the Beayles,” now on stage at the Music Hall at Fair Park in Dallas.

The multi-media journey, presented by Dallas Summer Musicals, begins with news reels of fainting teens and Ed Sullivan and continues tripping right through to the Beatles’ psychedelic hippie days. All the while the audience is treated to a live musical performance transporting the lucky listeners to a time when The Beatles were a huge part of the American experience.

Musicians Steve Landes, Joey Curatolo, Joe Bithorn and Ralph Castelli take on the parts of the Fab Four, delivering such musical landmarks as “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and ”Twist and Shout” in the signature skinny-legged suits and mop tops made famous in the ’60s. Then, with help from back-up musician Mark Lewis, they re-create such chart-toppers as “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” in the military-inspired get-ups.

The music’s all Beatles, much to the opening-night crowd’s delight, even if the performers’ faces aren’t quite exact clones. But just squint, and you’ll think you’ve landed in a time machine.

Beatle tunes are crammed into two hours of fun, and aging hippies should be forewarned. Choose your seat carefully; the aging hippies in front of you just might decided to twist, shout or flash a peace sign.

“Rain–A Tribute to the Beatles” continues through Sunday at the Music Hall at Fair Park.