In the newest endeavor of the Garrison Players Arts Center in Rollinsford, Priscilla Barton has produced a musical review titled “We the People,” and it just so happens to appeal to the interesting times we live in—by reminding us of the equally interesting times of the past. John Adams, played with dignity and chivalry by Don Briand, narrates this 200-year journey. 
Starting with “Hail to the Chief,” the play progresses into “Is Anybody There?” followed by the joyful banjo plucking of Mark Wiley on “On Top of Old Smokey.” Enraptured with short monologues of the good times, the bad times and the proud times, the audience at a recent performance was finally moved to stand when Sharon Parker strode firmly to center stage to belt out “The Star Spangled Banner.” More songs about the brave men and women who have fought for the freedom we take for granted followed. Some met with laughter and some met with tears, but all were remarkably relevant to the nation’s current situation overseas.

Next, the musical reaches the World War II era. With his inimitable basso profundo, Brian Parker marches the audience right into “Anchors Aweigh.” The women then fill the stage with military pride, singing “The Marine Hymn,” and the men add to the mood with “Over There.” Jerry Finley and Mark Wiley lighten the mood a bit with “Oh, How I Hate to Get Up,” which laments a bugler’s lot in life.

Then—one of my favorites—the dreamy Carol Davenport, the sultry Tinka Finley and the sunshiny Carolyn Harriman put on their Navy girl hats, strike an Andrews Sisters line and, in perfect swingin’ time, tell us all about the “Boogey-Woogey Bugle Boy.”

When Barton segues into some ’60s numbers, the audience really starts to question some of the rights and wrongs committed by our country. Jerry Finley, Tom Dunnington, Earl Case and guitarist Mark Wiley give us Bob Dylan’s “The Times, They Are A-Changin’,” while all the women ask “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” Myriad voices join together for Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind.”

Then comes my absolute favorite, when Tom Dunnington channels Charles Durning to “Dance a Little Sidestep.” Barton concludes the show with the always tear-inducing “God Bless the U.S.A.,” and the closing number, “America the Beautiful.”
Perhaps one of the best bits of the play is when each actor shares a particularly interesting remark from U.S. history. To name but a few: “I’ve learned not to put things in my mouth that are bad for me.” —Monica Lewinsky; “On occasion, I discovered I would recount conversations that simply didn’t happen.” —Sen. Bob Packwood (describing his diary); “A year ago, my approval rating was in the 30s, my nominee for the Supreme Court had just withdrawn and my vice president had shot someone. Ahhhh, those were the good old days.” —President George Bush at the Radio/TV Correspondents’ Dinner.

Like last week’s “The Primary Primary!” at West End Studio Theatre, Barton took a page from Blair Hundertmark’s book and placed highly trained singers alongside those with much less experience. It was their ability to sell the songs and make us think about what they were singing, rather than the notes they were hitting, that really made the difference. It’s no wonder that Barton is so favorably  reviewed—she reached throughout history, picking a song here and a song there, and somehow made us all leave feeling terribly proud to be Americans—and even more aware of the rights and responsibilities that come with all that freedom.

“We The People” will run through Jan. 20 at the Garrison Players Arts Center, Route 4, Rollinsford. Call 603-516-4919 for tickets and visit www.garrisonplayers.org for more information.