Want to know how to completely captivate an audience? Reserve your tickets to what can be described as a masterclass in that subject, currently showing at Shadowland Stages in Ellenville.

With a book by Fred Stuart and arrangements, orchestration and additional music by George Luton, “Never Can Say Goodbye: The '70s Beehive Musical,” features six sparkling actresses with heaven-sent voices in a fast-paced musical assortment of non-stop sensations.

Expertly directed by Shadowland’s former Education / Managing Director and now Assistant Professor of Voice and Music Theatre at SUNY New Paltz, Brittany Proia, “Beehive” is a lively and dynamic string of musical hits from the likes of The Supremes, Linda Ronstadt, Roberta Flack, Gloria Gaynor and other musical marvels of the 1970s.

The musical features the sensational talents of Brandi Knox, Liz Neitge, Jasmine Crosson, Amy Knips, Claire Latourette and Mya Espinosa, who sing everything from heart-rending ballads like Roberta Flack’s 1972 hit, “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” to the 1978 funk-disco song “Le Freak,” which invited, and got, enthusiastic audience participation. The six women had the audience not just mesmerized, but fully engaged from beginning to end.

As you watch the enthusiasm radiating from the stage to the audience, it’s impossible not to get swept up from the very beginning of “Beehive” with Cass Elliot’s “Make Your Own Kind of Music” to the end with Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family,” which induced a well-deserved standing ovation from the highly appreciative audience.  

Vibrant choreography from Andrew Geller Karl, sensational lighting by Jeremy Johnson, technical direction by Peter Johnson, stage managing by Aidan Countryman and Adrian Griffey, period-perfect costumes by Chris English, pitch perfect sound by Dean Mahoney, with sound mixing by Miles North, and other exceptionally skilled production crew members all serve to enrich this high-energy whirlwind of musical entertainment. Plus, there’s spot on musical direction of Matt Christy (drums), Sean Tarleton and Matthew Woolever (bass), Gillian Kroll (guitar) and Richard Rose (reeds) by Nathan Perry (keyboard).

It's become fashionable to end a review with “don’t miss this show.” But seriously, why would you want to miss something that’s so energetic and so uplifting that you literally exit the theatre marveling at the sensational gift just presented to you?

“Never Can Say Goodbye: The '70s Beehive Musical” plays through September 13 on the mainstage at Shadowland Stages on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. Some performances are already close to being sold out, so reserve your tickets today by calling 845-647-5511.