Five Guys Named Moe

Yesterday I headed out to see a couple of shows at Cumberland County Playhouse. I’ve already seen Golden Boy of the Blue Ridge, but it was my first time seeing Five Guys Named Moe. Five Guys Named Moe, a musical based on some of Louis Jordan’s greatest hits, is interesting, to say the least.

Taken from CCP facebook page

Nomax, played by Quinn Carson, starts the show out alone and broke. His girlfriend has left him and he’s basically on a drinking binge. Honestly, I’m not sure he wasn’t drinking absinthe. Cause as Nomax is listening to the radio, the group Five Guys Named Moe come out of the radio and sing to him. Really.

Little Moe, Big Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, No Moe, and Eat Moe spend the next two hours singing a variety of songs to Nomax. Honestly, I felt like I should have had some absinthe before the show, cause I never really understood what was going on. The book…well, it wasn’t that great. There were a few times in the show when one of the Moes would ask Nomax “Do you understand what we’re saying?” Every single time, all I could think was, “Nope. No clue.”

Taken from CCP facebook page

That aside, the show was FUN. The front row of seats had been sat up in cabaret-style tables. There was plenty of audience involvement, including some people being brought on stage (I won’t ruin the surprise for you) and some singing along with the actors. The show has some amazing talent.

Quinn Carson as Nomax is hilarious. He has to be. He plays a guy who’s so drunk he’s hallucinating! :D But he’s also got that slightly innocent quality that makes you like him and know that he’s trying so hard to fit in with the Moes.

Little Moe was played by Donald Frison. Anytime I see him in a show at CCP, I am blown away by his dancing talent. This show was no different. Michael Ruff’s Eat Moe was perhaps my favorite Moe. Hilarious and always talented, Ruff kept me laughing through most of the show.

Taken from CCP facebook page

No Moe was played by Porter Anderson and Four-Eyed Moe was played by Earley Dean. Both were fantastically talented vocally and in their dancing. Horace Smith played Big Moe. I really loved his portrayal of Big Moe as kind of the father-figure of the group.

The thing about Five Guys Named Moe is that it is filled with a wonderfully talented cast. They sing. They dance. They do them both very, very well. But, if you are expecting a story, skip this show. Go into it expecting a comedy concert of sorts, and don’t try to actually figure out what’s going on. You’ll love it if you do that. And if you like some audience participation.

You can catch Five Guys Named Moe at the Cumberland County Playhouse through October 27th