Three Characters, One Nation Are Divided in ‘Three Songs’

SOUTH PASADENA —  The times may finally be a-changin’ for the Calendars, a once-popular folk-singing trio blacklisted during the ‘50s for their leftist politics. After a long separation, they’ve gathered in a New York studio in 1962 to rehearse for a spot on a TV variety show, and it looks as though their years in the professional wilderness may be coming to a close. All they have to do is choose three songs to perform for their 15 minutes of comeback fame.

But that’s easier said than done in “Three Songs,” William Mesnik’s affectionate but sharp-edged three-character drama. As the singers argue over which material to perform, their increasingly polarized exchanges become a microcosm of social and political forces dividing the country. Gradually but inexorably, the group’s nostalgia-tinged reunion throws open a window into an unsettling, all-too-recent era of political witch hunts, mandatory loyalty oaths and suspended constitutional rights.

The fictionalized amalgam of real influential folk crusaders--a la Pete Seeger, the Weavers, Burl Ives and Peter, Paul and Mary--the Calendars come across with museum-quality authenticity in impeccably detailed performances. Fred (Mesnik), who once risked imprisonment for defying the notorious House Committee on Un-American Activities, remains committed to using music as a force for change--despite the intervening years of unemployment he’s endured with his long-suffering wife and singing partner, Kathy (Charlotte Booker). Naturally, Fred advocates politically themed songs for their nationally televised spotlight.

Holding exactly the opposite view is Curly (Dan Manning), Kathy’s affable, flask-swilling brother, who’s built a marginal solo career out of innocuous commercial voice-overs and small acting gigs. Curly argues, quite realistically, that the network will torpedo their appearance at the first whiff of controversy.

Steering a narrowing middle course, Kathy just yearns to revel once again in her natural singing talents. She and her partners get ample opportunity to shine in the show’s agreeable assortment of folk tunes, which run the gamut from sweet, whimsical harmonies to bawdy ballads to fervent socialist call to arms.

With a shrewd eye on production logistics, director Michael Canavan, who collaborated with Mesnik on the play since its inception, incorporates the Fremont Centre’s modest performance facilities as just the kind of setting where musicians like these would rehearse.

Just as skillfully, Mesnik weaves believable emotional ebb and flow through the opposing polemics of social responsibility and personal fulfillment. There are touching moments of rapprochement, as when Curly and Fred joyfully launch into a wobbly anthem from the old days.

Nevertheless, the cautionary lesson is clear. Fred may be inflexible and irritating, but that’s partly because he’s voicing difficult truths. As the reasons for the group’s estrangement gradually come to light, we’re left with the sober reminder that the price of accommodation can sometimes be too high.

* “Three Songs,” Fremont Centre Theatre, 1000 S. Fremont Ave., South Pasadena. Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, 8 p.m. Ends Aug. 24. $15. (888) 441-5979. Running time: 1 hours, 45 minutes.