"All You Need is Love" when RAIN hits town again for a quick stint. This tribute to The Beatles follows the group through years of hits, including "Hey Jude" and "Come Together." Interestingly, the show itself has been together longer than The Beatles themselves, capturing the spirit of the group with this live concert.
We spoke to local cast member Jim Irizarry, who plays John Lennon, right before Beatlemania took over downtown.
Windy City Times: Hi, Jim. Are you from Chicago?
Jim Irizarry: Yes, I am. I am from the Bridgeport area, originally. I just joined RAIN recently. I have been with them less than three years.
WCT: Have you been a big Beatles fan your whole life?
Jim Irizarry: Yes, I have.
WCT: Have you ever met any of the members of the group in person?
Jim Irizarry: No, I never have; some of the cast have, though. I have seen several in concert. I saw Ringo one time and Paul at least three times. I saw him last year here in Chicago.
WCT: This was the Wrigleyville show?
Jim Irizarry: Yes; it was a really great show. He is still a good performer.
WCT: Have you ever heard about their reactions to the show?
Jim Irizarry: No, I haven't. I performed on Broadway quite a bit last year. When Paul McCartney was in New York doing Saturday Night Live, he was invited but took a pass on it.
WCT: Can you describe the show a bit?
Jim Irizarry: It is a nonstop show with a lot of things going on. It has fantastic lighting, to begin with. We have multimedia with two screens, one on each side of the stage. There is a montage of images going on all throughout the show. Sometimes it is actually usthe performersand sometimes a cameraman in the audience positioned around.
WCT: It has so be so nostalgic for audiences.
Jim Irizarry: It is a walk through time starting with the '50s era and the dawn of rock 'n' roll and Elvis Presley. Then we move into the '60s, where The Beatles were around with world events. There are some nice graphics, funny commercials, and cartoons going on.
We cover every single era that The Beatles went through starting with the Ed Sullivan show here in America in 1964. The set is made up pretty much as it was on the Ed Sullivan Show. We then go into the Shea Stadium concert in 1965 the following year.
WCT: Sounds like a trip.
Jim Irizarry: It is. From there we move into the psychedelic Beatles Sgt. Pepper era, with a lot of selections. At this time, we have a fifth member of the band that comes out; that is our keyboardist. He really augments that type of music. You really can't pull it off with four guys too well. We needed a fifth member to pull off that orchestration with all of the bells and whistles. We really try to produce the music that is true to the record. I think we do a good job at it.
WCT: Do you change looks throughout the time periods?
Jim Irizarry: Yes, I have six costume changes, which is pretty rigorous. For some of them I only have about a minute or so do almost a complete change. It keeps you hopping! It is a very accurate look, I think. We spent a lot of time on the costumes and wigs to get it just right with the look.
WCT: Reminds me of a drag show. Are you a big fan of John Lennon?
Jim Irizarry: I am, both of his Beatles and solo music, with his message of peace to the world. It is close to my heart so that is one of the reasons I portray him. I try to communicate his sense of humor throughout the show. He was a funny guy. He liked to goof around onstage, especially in the earlier years. It is a special thing for me to be able to portray him.
WCT: Does this go up until his death?
Jim Irizarry: No. This goes until the end of The Beatles era, which was about 1970.
WCT: The name RAIN comes from the name of a song they did, correct?
Jim Irizarry: Yes, it is a flipside of "Paperback Rider," which was a hit single. The Beatles were simple but beautifully rendered. They weren't very advanced musicians in the sense that what they played was pretty simple stuff. They weren't classically trained or anything like that and didn't read music, either. Paul might have known some notations but worked really closely with a producer. For what they did they were just creative with beautiful melodies. Kids today appreciate it. Maybe it is the music of their parents, but they know what is quality music.
WCT: Do you have a favorite Beatles song?
Jim Irizarry: There are too many to name, but in the show one of my favorite songs to do is "Come Together." I also like the costuming at that time. John wears the white suit with the long-haired look. It was from the last album of The Beatles: Abbey Road.
WCT: You must be proud to be in this Drama Desk Award-winning show.
Jim Irizarry: I am. It may return to Broadway for the holidays. We head to Canada in August first, then run through October. Japan is on the schedule for November. California is already scheduled for January.
WCT: Could be "A Hard Day's Night!"
Make it RAIN and follow The Beatles from Ed Sullivan to Abbey Road with this limited engagement show playing through July 1 at the Ford Center/Oriental Theatre, 24 W. Randolph St. Visit www.broadwayinchicago.com .